Faith
by midori Haru
Summary: It takes a special kind of strength to find a new dream after an old one is torn apart. Letting go of what almost was to see what could be is sometimes hard to do.
1. Chapter 1

A few things before we begin:

1\. Standard Disclaimers apply: I do not own Inuyasha and associated properties. Any other popular references are also the property of their associated authors, artists, publishers, etc.

2\. Ratings are there for a reason, take them seriously. Subject matter will refer to abuse, politics, bad relationships, stalking, kidnapping, neglect, abandonment, etc. in no particular order. There will be no other warnings.

3\. All Japanese terms are in _Italics_, **Bold** text is used for emphasis. Any confusion over terms, please ask. I do have a working glossary, but posting it as a separate chapter is against the rules and presents organizational issues in any case. I would prefer to place it at the end of the story, and as the story isn't finished yet, I'd have to re order chapters with every new post. Confusion would ensue. and the chance of posting something out of order increases.

4\. Suffixes are in use when addressing individuals and help define relationships both imposed and assumed by the speaker.

5\. Posting schedule may be irregular. This past bit of time has been incredibly stressful and hasn't yet evened out. I will try to keep to a regular schedule but cannot guarantee it.

**Faith**

**I**

The harsh bristles of the natural broom scraped rhythmically over the rough paved area surrounding the shrine. Each sweep of the broom was accompanied by the aromatic rustle of recently fallen leaves. The crisp scent floated on the sharp chill in the air. Winter hadn't set in yet, but it was coming. These were likely the last set of leaves she'd be sweeping up without the addition of snow.

Summers were short this far north and there were few events celebrated on the shrine grounds once the snows set in. There was only New Year prayers to be offered during winter. All other needs for the community were met using other means down in town. The trek to the shrine was harsh in winter months. Only Kagome had traversed between the two year round since the former caretaker had passed.

Lungs heaved to draw in a deep breath and held it a moment before letting it out slowly. The vibrations of friction ran up the long shaft to shake her half numb fingers in a familiar, nostalgic hurt. Shifting to the side, Kagome pulled one hand from the handle to shake the ache from it in one sharp movement before resuming her task. That one always hurt more as a lingering reminder of old injury. Her arms tingled warmly from the effort of clearing the grounds of debris. It was a familiar sensation, one experienced almost daily since her arrival to this rural shrine years ago. She'd been assigned the same task at the shrine she grew up on, but it meant something different here.

Sweeping the grounds wasn't difficult or terribly time consuming. This shrine wasn't as large as the one she grew up on in Tokyo. The buildings were less numerous and the attendance less populous. Tokyo was a metropolitan area and while Shinto had suffered a sharp decline in the city, the size of the resident population kept her family busy.

This little fishing town in Hokkaido kept her busy for other reasons than found in the city. At home she'd only been called on to assist with _Matsuri_ preparations and selling New Year's fortunes. She was required to dance at traditional events, but such duties were a mere fraction of what she was asked to offer now.

The old ways were in less demand in the shining city of new science and logical reason. Children raised there with easy, logical explanations for things formerly attributed to spirits and _kami_ held very little respect for the old ways, the serious parts of it anyway. There was always call for ritual dancing and festivals because those were celebrations and signs of culture. Only the older generations seemed to take the rest of Shinto seriously in the city.

Belief was different this far into the northern wilderness. Here the country was wild and held hostage by the whims of nature's own cycles. Kagome was often called in to perform exorcisms. She was asked to negotiate the tricky paths of communication with the local _kami_. She was tasked with offering blessings for health and good fortune as well as maintaining the shrine itself. There were the same festivals up here as there were at larger more prosperous shrines: the planting, _Tanabata_, _O-bon_ and harvest celebrations. This far north the summer festivals were closer together in time to match the workings of the seasons. Spring, with its warming winds and sun, came later. Fall, with its marked cooling frosts started earlier and was shorter than in more southern lands.

The demographic in _Nishi no Mura_ condensed during the off season. Fishing boats were brought in and taken from the waters for repairs. Nets and traps were dried and stored. Many migrated to warmer more hospital climes for the winter leaving those whose work wasn't tied up in the sea and associated industries. Teachers, municipal employees, a few local farmers came in from their remote farms once their last crops were brought in. Cattle were driven to safer and warmer areas, leaving Kagome a contracted community to administer to.

Strangely, the requests for exorcisms and blessings rarely fell in frequency despite the seasonal fluctuation in the town's population. She just didn't receive many visitors once the snows came. She would have to go into town to answer requests and as she often went to pick up supplies, there was little cause for any of the townsfolk to come out here again until New Year once the snows came. Well, for most of the townsfolk.

The shrine was supposed to have a single teen-aged assistant from town. Every year she was sent files of the available youth in _Nishi no Mura_ to look over. Many kids were interested in taking on the job, usually as a result of family pressure or a desire to look good on their school applications. Serving at a Shinto shrine always looked good on paper and generally gave parents and grandparents bragging rights. The shrine family or caretaker benefited from the assistance too. But there was a longer term goal given that Kagome was alone and only recently presented as shrine family.

Her grandfather's brother, Mattaki had been the caretaker here when she first came. Once, a long time ago, he'd had a family. A wife and three children and a secure line of direct descendants to inherit the shrine after him. His wife had passed just before his daughter expected to give birth to their first grandchild. The child was stillborn and no successful births had followed before the daughter herself succumbed from the failed effort. One son, the eldest, had died in a police action. Taken down by a would-be bank robber. The other son, the youngest, had died from a heart condition in his thirties.

Kagome wasn't certain how great uncle Mattaki had borne it all and still managed to warmly take her in when she needed shelter, sanctuary, and escape. She just knew the townsfolk had expected the caretaker position to be handed off to one of the locals upon his death. Until she showed up seven years ago.

Mattaki had adopted her, making her heir to his position by right of blood and family. Partly because it was tradition and she already had solid training, but mostly because none of the available candidates had so far proven capable of adhering to the tenets of the shrine. There hadn't been a teen-aged assistant to last out a full year in the position since long before Kagome came. The trend had not broken after his death two years ago.

Kagome turned towards the _torii_ gates as she finally pushed the last of the fallen leaves into the area under the trees that bordered the grounds. The shrine rested on a natural rise just outside of town. The coastal areas were surrounded by increasingly high hills and mountains. Here she stood above _Nishi no Mura_, penned on every other side by rising earth and dense forests. It was moderately isolated, especially when the snows came, but it was also quiet, serene, fragrant, and afforded a magnificent view of the center of town and the harbor beyond it through the _torii_ gate.

She was expecting to see the view, to stand and ponder it a moment before moving on with her daily chores. Kagome was not expecting to be accosted by tense hands on her shoulders. The rough press of chilled, chapped, nervous lips caused her to freeze.

The kiss was prolonged, stiff and clearly not something inspired by the right feelings in the giver let alone the unwilling recipient. Kagome had a fairly good feeling her latest teen-aged assistant was about to lose her position. Time slowed and the shrine keeper froze solid, carefully calming her initial impulsive reaction to better handle the situation. Her failure to shove her assaulter away allowed Kagome to catch the nervous giggle and stifled gasp of gathered observers.

As she hadn't heard their approach on the noisy gravel walk, Kagome assumed they had traveled purposely on the grass beside the path to avoid early detection. Subterfuge and surprise were clearly intended and helped the young woman figure out what just might have inspired this foolishness.

Eventually, Yukimura Hikaru must have decided the sham of a kiss had lasted long enough as the teenager slowly withdrew from Kagome's person.

"Why did you do that, Yukimura-_san_?" Kagome asked the fifteen year old blandly. Already the teenager should have picked up that trouble had been bought. Kagome typically referred to her assistants with the "-_kun_" suffix regardless of gender. Visitors were addressed with the "-_san_".

"Higurashi-_sama_," Hikaru tensed up. Apparently the teen hadn't thought of a graceful or even tactically solid method of withdrawal. She had just assaulted her employer, one who was noted for taking a hardline on behavior that didn't live up to the shrine tenets. "I just – I-I" The girl stuttered for an explanation certain that the truth would only get her in more trouble.

But it was the truth Kagome wanted. She already knew the reason or at least a general idea for it. Hikaru's friends had likely teased her about working for the shrine. Kagome was often the subject of tall tales down in town. No one had really warmed up to the shrine transplant, many feeling offended that an outsider had been brought in – regardless of blood relations. There were many who had expected Higurashi Mattaki to select his replacement and heir from the local families.

The people saw only what they wanted to see and Kagome generally suffered the consequences as the reason and cause of whatever scandal was most recent. The most tenuous of connections utterly damning on the tongues of her neighbors. It had gotten so bad most of the children had dubbed her one type of bogeyman or another, often confusing her with one of the _youkai_, _mononoke_, or _kami_ Kagome was supposed to be helping them to relate to. This far north many overt _youkai_ stuck mostly to the forested areas infrequently trespassed upon by humans unless they were in long established unknown roles inside the town. Down in the south, around most major cities, _youkai_ openly populated the streets under powerful glamours and charms.

That such charms existed gave the rural folk freedom to pin newcomers and the outcasts as such creatures. There were all sorts of tales on how to break illusions and disguises of spirits, demons, and elementals. There were also tales on how to prove nonhuman heritage through actions.

Kagome was fairly certain the latest set of tales making the rounds of the younger generations had her set up as a _yukionna_, one capable of freezing others with a touch.

"I'm still waiting for an explanation, Yukimura-_san_," Kagome interrupted the teenager's continued effort to stall. If she told the truth, she **might** be willing to let Hikaru retain the assistant position a little longer.

"Um," Hikaru flushed deeply, clearly missing the covert laughter of her friends as she struggled to manufacture a plausible story. "I just – I like you, Higurashi-_sama_. I admire you greatly and want to be even closer to you."

"This was meant to be a confession?" Kagome raised an incredulous eyebrow. Perhaps if this were a real high school drama, that explanation would be almost plausible. Except for the fact Yukimura had attacked Kagome with lips before making her confession of affection. The caretaker wanted to pinch the bridge of her nose, there was a headache building just behind her eyes as a direct response to the stress of the situation. She hated having to dismiss employees. But the job was important and she couldn't be more lenient and maintain the standing of her shrine. So Kagome took a discreet breath and let it out slowly before continuing. "Yukimura-_san_, what are the tenets of this shrine?"

"Veracity, Respect, and Integrity," Hikaru recited promptly. The first month of her employment had been spent stressing the importance of not only knowing the shrine's tenets, but emulating them. All of the teenagers to take on the job were given the benefit of the four week trial period to adjust and incorporate the teachings into their behavior. After that, it was expected by the caretaker - formerly Mattaki and now Kagome – that tenets be upheld. A slip that broke one tenet was allowed with a firm reminder and discussion as to which precept had been broken and how to prevent repetition, but the teenagers were not given a free slide every time. Especially not if they consciously broke more than one axiom at a time.

"Veracity: The edict of truthfulness and authenticity." Hikaru continued by rote. "Respect: the acceptance of equal consideration for all individuals and their preferences, customs, feelings, and rights. Integrity: the knowledge that one cannot bend or break oneself to find lasting peace and should not expect or require others to do so."

"And how many of them have you broken with your actions just now?" Kagome demanded firmly. It was hard not to sigh, not to color her tones with inappropriate emotion. She was so tired of having to repeat this type of scene every time some teenager came to hold the assistant spot. Most would start off strong, at age fifteen they were all hopeful that they could pull off what none of their peers had done yet. They would memorize the tenets, pay lip service to what they meant and then forget them.

"Higurashi-_sama_," Hikaru gasped and began to cry.

"How many?"

"All of them?" Hikaru sobbed, fully aware of her pending punishment.

"Yes," Kagome agreed quietly. "You broke all of them. You accosted my person without first ascertaining if I was amenable to such an approach. If you were truly intending to convey admiration, you would have considered that I may not accept or return your expressions. But that was not what your intention was. No, when you could have plainly stated that you were trying to prove my humanity to your snickering friends, you chose to lie."

"I-" Hikaru's mouth hung open in surprise. The noise of her two hiding companions stilled in shock.

"They are not very stealthy; noisy and unable to sit still," Kagome plowed onward without regard to the teenager's attempt to interrupt. "Further more, it is clear that those same observing voyeurs put you up to this. You knew it was wrong. You crumpled under their pressure, damaging your own integrity. You knew taking this action went contrary to the tenets you agreed to uphold when you took this post."

"Please, Higurashi-_sama_," Hikaru tried to protest. "My parents were so proud of me for lasting this long-"

"Then their disappointment will be quite keen, but you were informed and trained into the demands of this position," Kagome hated having to do this. When she'd first come to live with Great Uncle Mattaki, she'd tried to talk him into greater leniency. These were just teenagers after all. That was before she realized, he was actually teaching them something. It wasn't as if they were uninformed. Kids needed to learn early that choices had consequences. It was better to start assimilating that lesson when the punishment wasn't likely to be as harsh. If Hikaru broke with the policy of some future job, she would lose her job like now...but losing a part time shrine position wouldn't result in the complete loss of income that could lead to homelessness, starvation, or just defaulting on payments. In the future a lost job could do all that. "You heard the stories from the ones who held your job before you and how long they lasted. You were warned that failure to uphold the policies of this shrine would result in termination, you agreed it was fair." Kagome's tone was even and smooth.

"But-" Hikaru tried to protest.

"You seem to think you should not be held accountable for your actions," Kagome smoothly blew past the attempt. "But you are not above everybody else. Indeed this shrine dictates that you are equal and as such you will receive the same treatment as all the others that were in your spot before you, the ones who acted against the interests of this shrine and lost employment." The caretaker sighed, "Don't worry, your friends, whatever their motivations, are equally as ineligible to fill the shrine post as you now are."

"What!" came a sharp exclamation from the obvious ringleader, the giggler, no longer hiding behind the second t_orii_ gate post.

Kagome's gaze took in the other girl that stepped out beside the first, head ducked in shame. "Whatever your reason for pressing your peer into this, you have proved to have no respect for her, this shrine, or me," she informed them flatly. "Besides, what reason would you have to work beside a woman you clearly believe inhuman." One of them had truly believed, sharp knowing eyes stared down the defiantly proud girl that had blown their cover. The other...

She wondered what Hikaru and her belligerent friend would think to know that their co-conspirator was a _kitsune_ in disguise. Kagome wouldn't have rebuffed application from anyone of any background for the regular assistant position, provided they were the proper age and were capable of adhering to the shrine principles. It might raise issues if they managed to qualify for inheriting the shrine. Not because they couldn't fill the job of intermediary between human and _youkai_ existences, but because the rural folk would grow suspicious over extended youth. In the cities a shape shifter could hold a shrine post. In the country, customs were less tolerant of _youkai_, spirits and non-humans mixing into the human populace.

It was why respect was so important among most shrines. _Youkai_ and other spirits responded best to respectful negotiation. Tact was required too, though genuine respect would prevent too serious an offense being taken if a verbal misstep was made.

"But," the loud mouth girl refused to believe she could be rendered ineligible by the actions of her friend.

"Besides," Kagome went on addressing Hikaru. "If either of them applied now, after costing you the position it would make it clear they goaded you to action out of jealousy and a desire to take your spot. Which unfortunately does not say anything good about their integrity nor their quality as friends." Her voice was stern.

Hikaru glumly nodded.

"You two may assist Yukimura-_san_ in finishing her chores for the day," Kagome leveled a glance at the one about to protest again. "If you do not do so, I will be required to notify your parents and the proper authorities about your behavior. You may not have broken laws, but I'm certain your parents will take exception to your blatant disrespect of these holy grounds." She shrugged, "Either way, I will be informing the school that Yukimura, Hamasaki, and Fujimoto are to be removed from the pool for the shrine post."

"There aren't any students left anymore," Hamasaki Sumiko declared stoutly. "We're all that's left for the job."

"Then I will wait for the next year of students to find a replacement," Kagome replied plainly. "Better to be without an assistant than to suffer an inappropriate one. It will not be the first time this shrine has been without a teen-aged part timer and it likely will not be the last."

"Who do you think you are! You're just a nobody!" Hamasaki yelled angrily. Kagome wanted to roll her eyes as Fujimoto Moriko did beside her.

"Sumiko-_chan_," Hikaru hissed, trying to pull her companion toward the shrine so they could do the cleaning Higurashi had assigned them. The shrine interior needed to be wiped down and freed of dust. The screens needed to be opened so the space could be aired out before closing up for the colder months to come. Anything that needed to be put into storage had to be cleaned and carefully wrapped in cloth or paper.

"You shouldn't even be here!" Hamasaki Sumiko declared with greater volume as she evaded the grasping hands of her classmate. "Takeuchi was supposed to take over the shrine when the old priest died."

"And here I'd heard it was supposed to be Hayashi Koto," Kagome returned with a pensive tone and flat expression. "Or was it Ito Washi? Oh, I remember there was also Kita Tsuyoshi." Kagome raised a brow at the girl, "All of whom hail from local families, all thought they should have inherited the shrine as well. None with any real ties to Higurashi Mattaki, this shrine or any other. None attended a shrine school or even managed to successfully complete a single year as an assistant."

"Well you -"

"I am related to the former caretaker by bonds of family and blood. I was raised on a shrine and took a number of classes in a shrine school." It hadn't been her first choice, but necessity had required it. "I served as a shrine attendant both at another shrine and here. My Uncle chose for me to succeed him and I have honored his wishes."

"You should just go back to where ever you came from!" The brat hollered back, further incensed by Kagome's cool response. "We didn't need you to come here!"

"Uncle would not have chosen from _Nishi no Mura _to take his place," Kagome replied bluntly. "In fact, he'd written to the shrine school in Tokyo to send him someone to train for the position not two months before I came here."

"You lie!" Hamasaki denied it.

"Is it true, Higurashi-_sama_?" Yukimura Hikaru asked softly.

"I can show you the replying correspondence," Kagome nodded. "They had three candidates already lined up to come. All from respected shrine families and all graduates of the school."

"Then why didn't he pick one of them, instead of a bitch like you? Why didn't he pick you first?" Hamasaki sneered.

"He didn't know I was available," she responded mildly. "Circumstances changed in which coming here was both possible and desirable. Now go complete your punishment. You will not be welcome here again unless you intend to pay respects to the _kami_ and mark the traditional visits in the company of your family."

Fujimoto Moriko ducked meekly as she walked by Kagome, clearly aware of having been identified for what she was. Kagome was a _reiki_ user and needed no special tricks to see beyond the masking charms. The _kitsune_ knew it, had known it the moment they'd walked through the _torii_ gates. Kagome kept the grounds shielded and concealed her _reiki_ when down in town.

"Why are we bothering to do this?" the loud mouth continued to spout off as Hikaru dragged her away. "She's just an outsider who doesn't understand anything! She probably really is a monster! There's other ways to break a disguise." Fujimoto Moriko groaned quietly.

The _kitsune_ could tell them Kagome was completely human. That is, if she was willing to out herself as not human. Instead the female tried to police her friend another way. "Shut up, Sumiko-_chan_," her voice was slightly wheezy, likely an effort to increase her human cred. _Youkai_ did not often have legitimate breathing troubles. "She said she had proof that the old priest wasn't going to pick anybody here to take over the shrine."

"She's obviously lying," Sumiko huffed loudly. "If she'd stayed where she was, everything would be better. Even if that old fart had picked someone from Tokyo, it would be better than that frozen hag!"

Kagome scoffed as she trailed the girls to stow her broom in its proper spot. She refused to comment on their conversation.

"Sumiko! You're so rude!" Hikaru cringed. "Higurashi-_sama_ can hear you."

"I don't care! Serves her right, being the stuck up bitch that she is!" Hamasaki Sumiko asserted petulantly. "Thinks she's so much better than we are!"

"And you think your dad won't give you hell for disrespecting the shrine?" Fujimoto shook her head. "He's up for reelection. How do you expect him to react to this?"

"You're going to be in so much trouble if he finds out, Sumiko-_chan_," Hikaru cried for her friend.

"He doesn't like the snow witch either," Sumiko shrugged their concerns off.

"But Higurashi-_sama_ isn't punishing us for disrespecting her," Fujimoto pointed out. "She's punishing us for disrespecting the shrine itself. And it won't matter if your father doesn't like her personally."

"She has no right to punish us for anything!" Sumiko insisted.

"Then go home," Fujimoto Moriko huffed. "She did say you could just leave...if you don't mind suffering the consequences of doing so, but your dad will be much worse if you do. Right now she's only going to tell our parents and the counselor who recommends students for the part timer spot that we're no longer eligible. If you go home, it _will_ go beyond that."

"So What!" Sumiko scoffed but didn't leave.

"So how long do you think it will take before it gets all over town that the mayor's daughter disrespected the shrine?" Fujimoto asked. "How many people do you think will vote for him after that gets around?"

"Shut up, Moriko," Hamasaki grumbled. Not quite conceding the point but certainly giving in to the task of cleaning for silence.

"Come on," Hikaru urged. "It is not a hard task she's set us."

"Then she should just do it herself! Since she's so sure she doesn't need any help," Sumiko sulked.

"Higurashi-_sama_ is already very busy," Hikaru sighed, guilt already beginning to set in fiercely. "She didn't say she didn't need the help, she said it was better to do without than to have the wrong kind of people working here."

"What's so wrong about us then?" Sumiko demanded sullenly. "Nothing. She's just a stuck up judgmental bitch!"

Moriko seemingly couldn't let that go. "Shrines serve a very important purpose. Their job is to mediate between human needs and non-human. It requires a special skill set."

"Oh puh-lease," Sumiko scoffed. "All they do is throw festivals, do some old-fashioned dancing and sell greasy street food."

"With that view of things, I'm surprised you bothered to apply, Sumiko-_san_," Fujimoto Moriko commented. "Or that you could possibly believe that Higurashi-_sama_ was anything other than human."

"Pssht! Monsters exist," Sumiko huffed. "That interfering witch is living proof. And I applied for the same reason everybody else does. It looks good on school applications. Besides, my dad insisted. He says someday someone will make it the whole year and that the only way that will happen in our family is if I applied."

"That is likely why you weren't chosen," Fujimoto decided firmly. "It's probably why nobody manages to last out the whole year. You underestimate the purpose of the shrine and disrespect those who work for it and why."

"What would you know about it?" the mouthy brat dismissed the observation. "You didn't even apply."

"Perhaps, Mori-_chan_ was wiser not to," Hikaru murmured thoughtfully. "Higurashi-_sama_ does do a great deal more than just organize the festivals and food stalls. She's always being called down into town for one thing or another."

"History is full of instances where a shrine prevented or ended a war," Moriko pointed out.

"That was ancient history and little miss ice bitch had nothing to do with it," Sumiko blew off the points the others were attempting to make. Kagome wasn't terribly surprised. With every application came an abbreviated transcript, Hamasaki Sumiko's showed a decided lack of interest in history. Actually, she showed a semi-pointed lack of interest in anything that wasn't fashion related. Judging from her current behavior, Kagome suspected she was disparaging of anyone who failed to show any knowledge in the very narrow line of topics Sumiko was interested in.

"It actually isn't," Hikaru insisted. "The shrines in the cities are often tapped by the government to assist negotiations with the _youkai_ factions to help maintain the peace. International efforts are never considered cemented without calling on the shrines to look it over and discuss it with the non-human leaders."

"It's all just a waste of time. Humans and _youkai_ live separate," Sumiko insisted. "Besides which, this is not one of the big shrines in the city."

"No, it's a little shrine in a small town living on the edge of the native _youkai_ habitats," Fujimoto huffed as the three girls finally entered the space they would be spending their time cleaning. "Negotiations out here may be more informal and less openly recognized, but they are also more vital."

"The woods and the marsh are full of _youkai_ and spirits Higurashi-_sama_ must maintain a delicate, respectful relationship with. The town is required to uphold the agreed upon rituals and behaviors to keep the peace," Hikaru added. "Higurashi-_sama_ keeps all of us safe."

"All that needs to be done is to keep the non-humans out of town," Hamasaki Sumiko shook her head. "This is our place and they have no need to be here."

"So all humans should be required to stay in town?" Fujimoto Moriko rolled her eyes loudly. "What about the roads, the train, the local farmers?"

"What about the fishermen who go out on the water? They're not in town, but they can't stay here. How would we collect enough food to eat? What about people who need wood to cook or keep their houses warm? You can't find that just growing in town," Hikaru agreed. "The _youkai_ and most other types of non-humans are actually physically stronger than us. They don't have to let us live. Without the shrine and the caretaker negotiating peace for us, we would all starve and freeze to death in a single winter. It takes a lot of work, time and effort that Higurashi-_sama_ will have to handle on her own now."

Kagome concurred. Even when her uncle was still alive there was enough needing to be done to keep both Higurashi busy with work left over to employ a teenager. Running the shrine, maintaining it and fulfilling her other duties would likely cut into her regular sleep schedule. Kagome couldn't be both in town handling exorcisms and blessings **and** at the shrine maintaining the floors, wall hangings and other _Shinto_ paraphernalia. Trying to cover both sets of jobs limited how much could be done of either. But need commanded, the shrine reputation was precious and fragile. Shrines had come to ruin for small offenses in the past. All it took was the loss of interest and faith from the locals. Behavior like Hikaru's could offend older faithfuls and visiting non-humans. Too many instances of that and the shrine would die and the local people come under the hazardous cloud of angry more powerful neighbors.

Kagome sighed as she went about her own set of chores, keeping an ear on the girls. Shortly after they entered the main enclosed shrine space, the rhythmic pounding of feet across the boards drummed out their conversation and even Sumiko gave up her muttering as her breath grew uneven with effort. This was likely the last rub down the boards would get this year.

During the summer the large enclosed shrine space was often filled by various groups from _Nishi no Mura_. The shrine was popular for its removal from town and the absence of the constant smell of rotting fish under strong sun. The trees offered soothing shade both along the path and throughout the grounds. The rustle of leaves helped to cover the bustle of business down in town. The crunch of gravel under foot drowned out the call of raucous sea birds fighting over refuse on the shore or trash in parking lots. And the smell of green growing things of the neighboring forest was a definite perk. The shrine offered peace within walking distance of _Nishi no Mura_ during the summer. It acted as a community hub and gathering place for all members of town, high and low. There was no discrimination, all were welcome to use the space provided respect was shown for everyone else. Many of the recently naturalized religions would hold services at the shrine during the summer.

You'd never know that if you visited in winter though. And most of autumn.

The cooler months cut back on the din that flooded the town in summer as many people headed south for seasonal work. Fishing efforts were greatly reduced and the temperatures diminished the possibility of rotten smells permeating the air. Birds were still around, but there were fewer of them to make such noise. The pedestrian noises, the sound of people moving about was reduced by the penchant for staying indoors. Tourism was almost non-existent this close to the coast once winter set in. Most of the prime skiing venues were more inland and this was not a common entry point to Hokkaido.

Kagome was glad Hikaru hadn't proven incapable of adhering to the shrine policies before now. The grounds could maybe get by with less cleaning efforts during the winter as there were less people around to see the state it would be in. It didn't make her happy to have to let standards slip, but there were only so many hours in a day and only so much one person could do on her own.

She'd really thought maybe Yukimura Hikaru would last. After the winter set in hard, Kagome had planned to take the girl out on some of her jobs in _Nishi no Mura_. Yukimura was the first to last this long since Kagome had come to this shrine, but it couldn't be helped.

The abrupt cessation of sound in the shrine alerted Kagome the girls were done with the floors. Hikaru was directing them in the task of taking down the tenet paintings and dusting them. The sliding doors were dusted before being closed back up and all the wall hangings were settled carefully inside the main entry for Kagome to look over before wrapping and packing them up.

The sound made it clear they were about done. With three of them working, they would naturally finish much earlier than usual. Even with the added task of preparing to close the place up, the jobs were simple and easily completed. The only reason Kagome couldn't do it all was the sheer volume of work to be done, not difficulty.

Knowing she would soon be taking the girls back into town and informing their parents of their disqualification for the job, Kagome ducked behind the wall that separated her small outdoor space from the shrine proper. There was only one large building built on the premises. The larger portion at the front served as the shrine's enclosed community space and _Honden_. The smaller back area was the caretaker's personal quarters which included a small outdoor space for food and herb gardens and a disused driveway and car park.

A wall had been built extending from the side of the building to allow some privacy from the public. It had found other uses in the hands of the shrine patrons as a communication tool and message board, but it's initial purpose had been to separate the private space of the caretaker and associated family from the world view.

Kagome kept the area neat even so. A wall wouldn't keep prying eyes out and those types of curiosity seekers were usually fairly judgmental. Teenagers were often the worst about imposing on her privacy. When they found nothing out of place the kids generally made things up to explain it. Hence the rumors concerning her humanity or lack thereof.

She swiftly changed from the standard shrine work apparel to a set of street clothing that was better able to combat the chill seeping into the area as the day waned to dark. Kagome ducked back around the wall in time to catch all three girls trying to sneak back into town without her.

"Wait, I will walk you home," Kagome asserted firmly.

"It's not necessary, Higurashi-_sama_," Hikaru tried to stall.

"I insist," Kagome rebuffed the attempt. "I need to speak with your parents."

"You said you wouldn't tell," Fujimoto shifted nervously. Her gaze stuck longingly on the gravel walk that would take her away from the shrine and the r_eiki_ user that could expose her.

"She's a liar, through and through! I told you we shouldn't have done it," Sumiko huffed.

"I said I would not tell them what you did, but I also said you would be removed from eligibility and I will inform your parents and the counselor of that fact," Kagome corrected. "They may ask what you did, it will be up to you whether to tell them or not."

"As if we would tell them, we ain't stupid," Sumiko scoffed darkly.

"I think we'll drop you off first," Kagome pointedly informed the mouthy brat. "Your house is closest I think." It also meant that Sumiko's father would know who else to ask to get the truth if Sumiko managed to withstand his questioning, though the shrine keeper doubted the teenager had made that connection. Maybe Sumiko could withstand her parent's questioning. Maybe she was just dishonest enough to believe she had done no wrong, but Yukimura and Fujimoto the _kitsune_ knew quite well and were unlikely to remain resilient under the demands of their own parents and the mayor.

Perhaps all three would maintain their loyalty and keep mum about the specifics, but Kagome doubted it. They were teenagers and Sumiko obviously couldn't keep her mouth shut about anything.

Kagome carefully suppressed the urge to visually cringe at the constant noise. The girl also had a volume control issue. The group traveled in moderately close quarters, there was no need to shout as loud as Sumiko did. If she wasn't careful, there would be no need for anyone to question the girls. Hamasaki's daughter would expose it all by protesting against it.

Thankfully, the mayor's large house was fairly close to the shrine pathway. Kagome was very glad to unload the brat on her parents. They deserved to put up with the spoiled child they raised, the rest of the world did not.

"Higurashi-_san_," Sumiko's father answered the door causing the immediate silence of the three teenagers with his appearance.

"Hamasaki-_shichou_-_san_," Kagome bowed politely in greeting. "I am returning your daughter to you. I regret to inform you she has been removed from eligibility for the shrine position."

"What?" The stunned father demanded in surprise. In that one brief moment, Kagome could see the resemblance between father and daughter.

"I will be informing the counselor as such," Kagome replied without addressing the question. "It would be preferable if she was kept from returning to the shrine without the supervision of either yourself or your spouse."

"Sumiko," the man called sternly. "What is this about?"

"Nothing!" the teenager asserted strongly. "The _Jinja no sewanin_ is over-reacting and unfairly punishing all of us for something Hikaru did!"

The Mayor's eyebrow twitched. It was hard for any adult to accept that explanation from a cringing teenager when the accused over-reacting adult stood calmly just behind her. "I must insist on knowing what is going on right now, Higurashi-_san_."

"Perhaps your daughter will feel generous enough to divulge the reality to you upon later inquiry. For now, it is only important that you be aware she is ineligible for the part time position after today," Kagome replied mildly. "I apologize for interrupting your evening. You must excuse us, I have two more girls to return to their homes."

"They also?" the shrewd man's eyes narrowed on Hikaru and Moriko. He clearly didn't like Kagome's refusal to give him the answers he demanded, but the Hamasaki patriarch could not detain her. Kagome had broken no laws. Being responsible for the only _Shinto_ shrine in the area gave the caretaker a status outside the politics and hierarchy of the town.

"Indeed, Yukimura and Fujimoto-_san_ will both be receiving a visit this evening with the same news," Kagome bowed politely as she gestured to the two teenagers still in her company to move on. She wasn't certain if she ever wanted a better acquaintance with Sumiko's father. The man had relaxed when he learned his daughter wasn't the only one being rejected tonight. He probably considered it a lesser shame since his daughter hadn't already held the job like Yukimura Hikaru. As if there was much shame in being removed from the job any more. Most of the younger generation had applied and been rejected or served and been removed from the post. It wasn't much of a stigma if everyone received and carried the same.

Hikaru's delivery to her family had been a great deal more emotional. The teenager burst into tears before any words had been said. Her mother had brought the girl inside while her father stood to accept the news alone. He made no demands as to why or how. He simply accepted it before politely closing the door softly after Kagome excused herself.

"You don't have to tell my parents I'm ineligible," Fujimoto assured Kagome. "I always was."

"Were you?" Kagome asked carefully, semi-exhausted from the emotional roller coaster her evening had become. Teenage girls were far too emotive for her regular constitution.

"Don't act dumb," the _kitsune_ huffed. "You know what I am."

"Of course I do," Kagome shrugged. "Being other does not preclude you from holding the part time position. Your behavior today, does."

"But I'm-"

"Have you heard of the shrine dedicated to Inari in Kyoto?" Kagome asked abruptly. "It is a very large, widely respected shrine with scores of regular patrons."

"What does that have to do with anything?" the female asked sharply.

"The shrine family there is entirely made up of _kitsune_," Kagome answered. "Their youngest daughter attended Shrine school at the same time I did. Her elder sister had already married into another shrine family in Tokyo. A human shrine family that considered it a great honor to be so lucky for their shrine is also dedicated to Inari."

"That's-That's down there," Fujimoto Moriko protested. "It could never work up here. The neighbors won't allow it."

"True, you are unlikely to be considered to inherit the shrine. You have not attended shrine school and the locals are far too concerned with having a human caretaker, but you could have served as a part timer," Kagome sighed. She'd wondered why she hadn't received any applications from non-humans. If Moriko was an example as to why, she now knew. "Of course now you **are **unable to do so."

"I-" Fujimoto paused to ponder the information just poured into her ears. "I'll be sure to tell the others, but wouldn't the act of using our charms to hide our features be considered as going against the first tenet of the shrine."

"No more than the use of make up to cover acne or clothing to cover scars, birthmarks or tattoos," Kagome replied. "The Shrine doesn't take issue with you keeping your heritage a secret as no one else gives theirs out explicitly either. I don't run up to people and declare I am human, why would I expect anyone who is other to do so?" Kagome shrugged her shoulders to loosen the muscles starting to tense up from the events of the day. "Failing to answer the question left unasked is not a lie. Your neighbors make assumptions based on what they see. You are not required to correct them, in the same way a girl accused of being a prude is not required to prove virginity or lack of it. Stereotypes and personal bias allow people to make judgments they don't need evidence to support. That doesn't make their version true anymore than it is required to be proven false. Let people think what they want, Fujimoto-_san_. Challenging those personal conclusions can prove hazardous. You may try to correct them if you wish, but you are not required to."

"But isn't that lying by omission or something?" the _kitsune_ were very stringent on the shades of truth and falsehood. When your natural abilities lent so strongly to shape shifting, illusion and tricking the unsuspecting, being able to separate truth from lies, illusion from reality was very important and ethically vital. Pulling the wrong trick on the wrong person could bring the entire non-human community under fire from every angle.

"Do your friends tell you their deepest, darkest, most dangerous secrets? Do they invite you to do the same?" Kagome asked. "Trust on the level where lying by omission about something like that is unlikely to come up on a job application."

They finally approached the _kitsune_'s house, a small structure close to the opposite side of _Nishi no Mura_. They were fairly close to a municipal park, but even closer to the undeveloped wilderness that surrounded the area. With the regional topography being what it was, most of the area was covered in marsh with forest beyond. Other parts of Hokkaido had tapped into the forestry industry for financial growth, but this area was better supported by fishing.

There were some cleared areas on the other side of the mountains used for farming, but the area immediately around town was mostly raw nature. From the shoreline with its rugged uneven ground, to the marsh that curled around two thirds of the town, the small fishing town was pretty well hedged in by wilderness. Sometimes it still surprised Kagome how rural people this far north could have such little tolerance for the mixing of humans and non-humans when they lived so close to each other. Areas like this were rife with _youkai_, spirits, and _kami_. Humans needed greater respect for the rituals and customs that had helped maintain safe coexistence. Or at least a semblance of safe coexistence.

Some creatures were better suited hiding inside of human settlements than out in the wild. The _kitsune_ were one such but it was always better for everyone if their non-human status were kept secret in small towns. Otherwise the towns people were likely to hunt down innocent humans in the attempt to eject the interlopers posing as humans in their neighborhoods. Tokyo had gone through several waves of lynch mobs and caught regular humans in place of the trickster _youkai_ they'd hunted.

Such things didn't happen there anymore, but these rural towns were slightly behind in their tolerances and understanding of such things. Kagome never could understand why since there were so many more of them in small towns. The air was better for them away from the metropolitan pollution. Tokyo and other cities had limited access to the open spaces even the domesticated species needed for continued mental health.

Fujimoto Moriko stood stalling beside Kagome, more than willing to let the _Jinja no sewanin_ wander through her thoughts a bit longer. The teenager really wasn't keen to face her guardians. Unlike Hamasaki who had political aspirations that could be hurt by his daughter's ill behavior or Yukimura's family that had suffered bitter disappointment without needing more information, the _kitsune_'s actions could have worse repercussions that would effect more than just her household.

Kagome shook herself abruptly and walked the last few steps to the door. One thing she liked about the homes of this particular small town was the unique character every home had. These were not the box shaped homes so common in other places. There were very few places with whole families living in tiny apartments here. Every house had it's character and showed its personality in the wear of the elements on the structure and colors.

Instead of bothering with the bell or a firm knock as had characterized her visit to the previous houses, Kagome flicked out with her _reiki_ and waited for the expected answering _youki_ acknowledgment. Instead of just one parent or even both, every known public face in the building appeared behind the opened door.

"Fujimoto-_san_," Kagome addressed whomever among them accepted it from her. "I am come to inform you that Fujimoto Moriko is now entirely ineligible for the post at the shrine."

"Higurashi-_sama_," Moriko's leash head Natsuo was the only one composed enough to respond. "We will address her behavior and ensure whatever was done is not repeated."

"I receive your words with gratitude," Kagome bowed to the old female. Higurashi Mattaki had told Kagome that Fujimoto Natsuo was the one to go to if ever there were issues with the hidden _youkai_ in _Nishi no Mura_. "It was a minor thing, the greater misbehavior was perpetuated by those in her company at the time. Still, as all three were present, all three have received the same punishment."

"As is wise," the elder _kitsune_ agreed.

"She has learned a great deal this evening and has much to share," Kagome continued. "My punishment has been fulfilled. The infraction was minor in the scheme of things, given the time of year. It could have been so much worse." The charmed fox nodded as Moriko was absorbed back into the family bosom. "It might be beneficial to stress the risks to the younger members of your community. There has been greater suspicion among your neighbors in response to my transplanting into the area."

"Fools are always dangerous and unfortunately prolific," Natsuo replied.

"I am a target, which is a boon for you and yours," Kagome added. "I cannot be exposed as anything other than human. That does not mean stones cast in my direction will not strike on others made too obvious."

"Your words are wise," was the response as Moriko tugged her housemates away from the door. "It is sad that anyone should be held up as such a target."

"Yes, but at least I am a target in which the bulls-eye will never be found," Kagome returned. She couldn't be proven to be something she wasn't after all.

"Perhaps, but that does not leave you completely uninjured by holding such a title," the _kitsune_ pointed out. "It will be hard for you to fulfill the totality of your duties as shrine family if you cannot grow close to someone enough to have one."

"My options are not all removed from me," Kagome sighed. It might have done much to soothe relations with the town if she could have wed someone from _Nishi no Mura_, but the resentment harbored in her direction and the rumors and scandals laid at her feet made that possibility highly unlikely. "I could adopt or send to Tokyo for an assistant or even a husband from the shrine school."

"It is unlikely you will find true joy that way, for you are also a _reiki_ user," Natsuo pointed out. _Reiki_ users rarely married in arrangements of that type for a good reason. It lead to a death of hope. Hope in a _reiki_ user was the source of power, strength and good health. Without it, Kagome would likely die before producing a viable heir.

"I know," Higurashi Kagome agreed wearily. She didn't bother to protest or elaborate more. So many dreams and wishes had died when she'd been sent up here.

Fujimoto Natsuo was almost the only person in _Nishi no Mura_ to know the real reason Kagome came here. It had been necessary as the elder _kitsune_ was the most senior nurse at the clinic in town and Kagome still needed occasional physical therapy sessions when she strained her wrist too much. The doctor knew too, since he did the check ups to test the deterioration of her hearing. Or rather, the doctor knew the medical aftermath of what happened. He invited no confidences where Natsuo in her matronly way, almost compelled them.

"I needs must head on, Fujimoto-_san_," Kagome bowed respectfully. "I still must inform the school before heading home."

"I do not know why they find it so difficult to see how warm and kind you are," the old _youkai_ declared. "Must you sacrifice all that you are before they will catch even a glimmer of your worth?"

Kagome shook her head with a wry grin, "I fear it would be a wasted effort even then. As I told your granddaughter, people see what they want to see, they draw conclusions that need no proof. Fighting that would be both futile and dangerous."

"And yet you stay," Natsuo sighed.

"I am needed," Kagome smiled more fully. "Where else would I go?"

"Indeed, where else would you go," Natsuo mumbled as Kagome backed up and excused herself again. This time there was no call back and the young woman moved on through the quiet streets.

Despite the quick darkening of the sky, the stop at the school achieved everything Kagome needed to in a short time. Whatever the sky said, the hour wasn't terribly late and the small staff at the school were dedicated. There was little else to demand their attention this time of year. The school counselor that also stood as the English instructor was disappointed to hear that another three students were to be removed from the candidate list. He didn't ask why though, he rarely did. The list wasn't completely devoid of possibles, but all the ones left had been passed over for various reasons before.

Kagome was picky.

Sometimes Murakawa-_sensei_ tried to persuade Kagome to be less choosy in her selection criteria. He didn't know what she used to make her selections. He, like so many others, didn't fully appreciate what a shrine did for the community and how important behavior was in maintaining their world. Until he proved better understanding, she would always dismiss his efforts to relax her criteria. Kagome wasn't required to hire anyone. The only person who would suffer from the lack of assistance was Kagome herself.

Hers was the only shrine in the area. There were no others nearby. Denying some teenager the right to claim shrine experience wasn't going to hurt them any, given that no one had been able to claim it in over a decade.

Kagome discreetly flexed her shoulders, attempting to ease the ache settling between her shoulder blades. She hated this part of the job, it went against her inherent nature to disappoint so many people, but the shrine was a trust and she was the caretaker. Unpleasantness was sometimes required to do the job right.

It wasn't in her original plans for her life to take on this task, but once taken Kagome was determined to do it right. That was another problem she often saw in the teenagers that came to the shrine trying to persuade her to hire them. To them, the shrine was a stepping stone to better things, which was fine. It wasn't fine that they refused to consider that the job required them to take it seriously and do it right **while it was** their job. Kids have no respect for the journey, they see only the goal.

Weary eyes gauged the sky and the descent of the sun. Returning the girls had taken time and there wasn't much light left now. Normally she'd have started the rice for her dinner by this hour. Instead, Kagome still had to walk home. Dinner would either be really late, or incredibly lack-luster. She could buy something at the general store to take home, something either already prepared or processed beyond recognition into the instant variety. One was utterly unsatisfying and the other tasted of the materials that contained it.

With a sigh Kagome stepped off towards the store. She ultimately decided on a compromise, purchasing something she could snack on while waiting for her real dinner at home. She'd rather a late dinner than anything at the store, even if it would be easier. Besides, it seemed a waste to spend so much on one meal when she could make something cheaper at home. Her budget didn't exactly allow for a lot of excesses.

She wasn't hurting for money, but neither was she rolling in it. Experience had taught Kagome the good of planning for the unexpected. Money may not solve everything, but having it insured that you could pay for a wide range of solutions when problems arose.

She decided to take the old marsh road that wound around the outside of _Nishi no Mura_. There was little chance of encountering anyone taking that route. Kagome was quite against having to mix with anymore town's people today. She could live with the gossip and the leery glances. She could deal with the blatant suspicion and rudeness from the teenagers. Even the accusations were moderately tolerable. It was the pretend amiability that wore Kagome out. Dealing with the local people's accusations and distrust was easier than dealing with a facade of friendship.

Kagome had always felt that way. Honest anger was less stressful than trying to see through the veil people tried to raise. Even as a teenager she had little patience for the two-faced type of personality.

Politeness was one thing. Grudging respect of someone who didn't necessarily like you was a badge of true worth. Fake expressions of enjoyment with your company always raised her hackles. Kagome had been dealt too many blows by dishonest people to take such treatment lightly.

Unfortunately, her means of escaping such individuals was limited. As the town's Shrine keeper, she was widely known and most felt it was expected of them to greet her on the street if they happened to wander into close proximity. A greeting inevitably lead to a longer conversation, typically about something related to the shrine or an elder family member's request for attendance. The conversation would be littered with insensitive or intrusive statements referring to Kagome's mystery shrouded background, her "recent" arrival in the town, or the passing of the previous caretaker. Some went so far as to insult her with a smile under the guise of needing clarification of something or recalling the behaviors of her great uncle.

Kagome just didn't want to risk being trapped in such a situation after being so disappointed by her part timer and having to deal with the mess those three teenage girls had created for themselves. Besides, the marsh road was always pretty, incredibly soothing and serenaded by the movement of the tide washing between the reeds.

Kids and teenagers would hang out along the marsh road during the summer. Traffic was limited as the road wasn't the shortest route to anywhere. Mothers would bring their toddlers out here to throw food at the waters to entice the birds that came in spring. The fisher folk would use the road to haul their boats from the coast, if they didn't have a permanent berth in the harbor. It was considered polite not to tie up the main thoroughfares in _Nishi no Mura_ with an unwieldy boat or towing vehicle.

Rarely did such traffic cross that road this late in the day, and it was a school night so the kids were less likely with the approach of darkness and the heightening chill.

It was quiet, something Kagome definitely needed after Natsuo had brought up the future of the local shrine family and Kagome's soon to follow expiration date. Nobody liked to be reminded of their mortality, and Higurashi Kagome liked it even less when it brought up the memories she'd struggled so hard to get past.

She felt raw and her wrist ached with the long remembered phantom pains. The joint injury had long healed and there was no real reason to feel pain except when she was using it over much. She hadn't overworked it today. She hadn't developed any reliable weather related forecasting system. There was only the memory of a broken dream.

Kagome shook herself hard and determinedly turned her focus outward to the sound of moving water, shifting wind and the scent of salt and grass. She took a deep biting breath into her tight lungs hoping the movement would help purge the stress of teenagers, memories, and worry for the shrine future. It took her a long time to learn to let the past go and allow the future to place a path in front of her. It wasn't her first instinct to let life move as it will.

She used to chase after the goals she wanted. Kagome was motivated and ambitious. Once upon a time. Once upon a time everything was in reach. But that was years ago, experiences ago. This was now. Focusing on now kept her hopeful and sane. Focusing on now...

Made it obvious that something insidious was afoot in the reeds. The air held a harsher chill than it should. The water didn't brush through the reeds collected near the road. Instead it stood still in a crystalline hardness that shouldn't be present yet. Ice shouldn't build up in the marsh even in the sheltered areas until much later in the year.

Kagome's breath was fogging the air and there was no need for it. Such a precipitous temperature drop should never be so exceedingly localized. Just mere feet away, she hadn't even needed to shiver. Her blood was moving warmly from the exercise and moderate pace she'd been keeping. Her clothing was more than sufficient for the temperatures she'd been expecting. Kagome had almost been too warm.

Now she felt the need to run and put on more layers and thermal underwear.

This was something she would have to fix. Clearly something beyond the weather was at work here.

Most _youkai_ native to Hokkaido used their _youki_ to dramatically effect the temperature of things around them to defend themselves or warn off intruders. This close to the water gave her a fairly good idea of which breed the culprit was.

This was Shrine work. There were long standing treaties surrounding the use of the marsh area. The long tailed ducks, similar to the non-_youkai_ counterparts, were allowed to use the other side of the marsh lands, away from the _Nishi no Mura_ road. The shore area was prime nesting ground and while mating was still several months off, now was the time for staking out territory if a good spot was desired. Limiting the bird _youkai_ to the far side of the marsh from town was the only way. Better to have to fight for prime territory than to be completely wiped out because one duck settled too close to town and defended their nest from some curious carefree children by freezing and drowning them come spring.

In fact, that was how the treaty came into being in the first place. A long tailed duck _youkai_ felt a precious nest was threatened by human intruders along the marsh road. Several young children were drowned. The town mobbed together and...well chaos, a very determined effort to exterminate the bird _youkai_ followed by retaliation cycled back and forth for almost two decades before Uncle Mattaki's predecessor negotiated grounds for a truce.

Every so often one of the younger generation of _koorigamo_ would attempt to break it, frustrated with the excessive competition for space on the far side of the marsh and a member of the shrine family would have to oust them out of their selfishness.

Humans caught on that side of the marsh were on their own. There was no need to trespass on the _youkai_ side of the marsh in the winter or even until much later in the year than would typically have the ducks ready to murder anyone encroaching on the shore. Anyone who went that far out of _Nishi no Mura_ were too old to be considered children and hopefully well versed in proper safety behaviors.

With a sigh, Kagome shrugged out of her jacket and dropped it and her bag of snacks on the side of the road. While the area effected by the intruding bird was freezing cold, it wouldn't be for long, limiting the likelihood of frostbite and hypothermia. She would, however, likely get wet or a little frosty which would amount to being wet when it melted. She would want that jacket when she was done. Kagome would want it nice and dry for the walk home.

She was tempted to leave her shoes too, but the last trash pick up was long enough past that she risked stepping on something sharp. Most people in _Nishi no Mura_ had enough respect for the marsh to avoid littering, but there was always a good portion of trash taken away by the students at the beginning of spring and end of summer. Kagome suspected most of the debris removed washed up here from somewhere farther than town. There was no viable way to prove it and seeking to do so would be fairly pointless. There were far too many shores in the world, too many disrespectful sailors, or drunk fisherman to completely cure the world of floating non-biodegradable waste.

The trash pickup by the townspeople was the human side of the treaty, to help reduce the overall impact on the ecosystem. Besides, it made for a more pleasant picnic and play area for the families in town.

Darkness was falling fast and Kagome couldn't really see the ground very well. Even with the desperate effort to feel out each step before placing weight on her forward foot, she found the water's edge by stepping into it allowing the frigid water to soak her shoes. Hissing through her teeth to protest the sensation and cage the quiet curse she'd nearly expelled, Kagome stepped back onto solid dry land and turned to skirt the waters edge in search of a _youkai_ setting up house in the wrong place.

A few steps more and the water was no longer sounding off against the dirt, it didn't swish between the waving reeds. The temperature dipped even further and Kagome had no reason to fear stepping into the water because the surface had hardened enough to hold her weight. This was a bad sign.

"I represent the shrine," Kagome called out firmly. She shouldn't have to. The minute she splashed into the water, the bird should have confronted her for being too close. Hell, the minute she'd left the road, the _youkai_ should have been on alert and waiting for Kagome to stumble too close. "Show yourself. You are in violation of the peace treaty concerning use of the marsh."

She expected to see a _youkai_ ready to storm at her in protest of the treaty, the constraints of high competition of nesting space or simple disdain for the rules enforced by humans. Kagome would be notifying the local _youkai_ official to enforce the treaty if she couldn't talk the culprit into moving on. Instead, the sound of a large splash reverberated over the ice and the vibration of something bumping against the layer of hardened water from the bottom gently jarred through the soles of her shoes. Something had been dealt with by the errant _koorigamo_, someone was even now struggling to survive the freezing waters and confining ice searching desperately for air.

At this point it didn't matter if the duck had attacked another _youkai_ or a human. The _koorigamo_ was in the wrong. There was no territory over here allowed to be claimed therefore there was no right to defend it. After dark, the forest _youkai_ hard up for food would sneak this far out to harvest roots and small fish lost in the weeds. It was unlikely to be teenagers tempting curfew at this time of the year. They generally preferred the old light house on the point towards the other side of town. The new light house had been placed on an artificially enlarged island off the coast.

It increased the effectiveness of the beacon while eliminating the possibility of teen-aged trespassers. How it would effect the local ecology had yet to be fully explored.

Kagome dropped the restraint she used to contain her _reiki_ while out in public. She would need it to rescue whoever was trapped under the _youki_ manufactured ice. Without the _koorigamo_'s energy holding it together, the surface would melt away quickly. Kagome just had to punch a hole through it to save the victim. Her power searched out the auras in the immediate vicinity.

In the time it took to pull in one breath she had located the victim and the aggressor. Tracking the victim would be important because she needed to get ahead of the current to catch the struggling _youkai_ in order to rescue it in time.

Scrambling in her hardening wet shoes, Kagome raced over the slick surface to plot her rescue attempt. Once satisfied with her position, she gathered her _reiki_ to accomplish two tasks instantaneously. This would be tricky. She needed to use her energy to punch through the ice but dissipate it fast enough to grab the drowning creature without hurting it. She also needed to somehow protect herself and her catch simultaneously because the moment she reached into the cold water, the _koorigamo_ was certain to attack her for interfering.

Kagome could only assume the bird was wallowing in its triumph over the small _youkai_ trapped under the ice. There was no other viable reason for a human walking across such unnatural ice to go unmolested. It wasn't even a particularly believable reason in her mind unless...well an adolescent untried in the battles over territory and potential mating would be so elated by a single victory as to forget to guard against further attack.

In the space of another breath, Kagome stabbed through the ice ahead of the thrashing _youkai_ under the surface. Her _reiki_ caused the hardened surface to dissolve before her hand dove into the freezing water below. The claws made contact with her sweater sleeve up her forearm before her numbing fingers managed to find and scoop up a small flailing collection of limbs from dark watery confines. Tiny claws managed to tear through the yarn of her sleeve, raking up her forearm and elbow as the cold water ran from the furry body she dragged up close to her body.

As expected, the _koorigamo_ pounded at the dome of energy she had thrown up to protect herself and her temporary charge. "Come out of there and take your punishment for trespassing!" the _youkai_ bird bellowed at her. Kagome briefly turned her eyes to take in the obnoxious rule breaker.

He truly was young. His humanoid form bore the remnants of his natural _youkai_ form, more than any aged, fully-matured adult would ever risk this close to a human settlement. His skin was stained far too dark for a human in some places while it was too pale in others. Two long plumes dragged the ground behind him. The moon wasn't full enough for her to be able to tell what kind of texture his face had, but Kagome suspected that the skin was a little too soft with a feathery cover.

"On the contrary," Kagome replied flatly once the body cradled to her chest stopped fighting her hold and fell into violent shivering. "It is my territory you have trespassed on. Your kind are limited to the other side of the marsh. This area is under the jurisdiction of the town and the shrine. As such, you may not punish anyone else for coming close to you here."

"I am not so weak as to adhere to restrictions laid out by lesser creatures," the male scoffed.

"No, you are a fool," She declared shortly. "And very, very ignorant. Go back to your elders and ask them what you have risked by breaking the treaty between the _koorigamo_ and the town. You have until morning to withdraw, otherwise you will be obligated to contend with the _youkai_ minister. Ryoichi-_chiji_-_san_ takes this sort of thing very seriously. It is likely that once he is involved you will suffer a great, long-lasting punishment that will interfere with your whole purpose of trying to set up house here in the first place."

"I shouldn't have to move! There's no space over there anyway," the arrogant male protested.

"Better fierce competition in a safe space than complete extinction for stirring up the kind of attention that gets your kind exterminated," Kagome huffed as she rocked to her feet with the added weight of her recovering burden.

"Such puny creatures could never-"

"They came close several times in the last hundred years," she cut him off. "Ask your elders. Let them school you out of your ignorance, I haven't the time to do so while cleaning up the mess you have already made."

"He got what he deserved," the bird brain insisted.

"No he didn't," she gruffly retorted. "He came looking for food in a place that should have been safe to do so, if not for the encroaching foolishness of a young male too lazy to compete by the rules. The _koorigamo_ territory is on the other side of the marsh. Harvesting _gama_ root is a good source of food for many creatures along the shore. This is the safest area to collect them from. Unless someone decides to move unlawfully into the area."

"Shut up," he huffed. Kagome glared at him before turning back to the shore. The hole she'd punched in the ice was slowly growing and would continue to do so if the bird didn't reintroduce his _youki_ to the water.

"I'm serious, move it by morning, or I will set Ryoichi-_chiji_-_san_ on you," she warned him sternly. "If you're still here, you'll be missing pieces before you make it to the other side of the marsh."

"Like I fear that old fossil," the fool dismissed her threat.

"That 'old fossil' is certainly more of a threat to you than one juvenile _shimarisu_," Kagome rolled her eyes. "Ryoichi-_chiji_-_san_ certainly isn't half starved, malnourished or inexperienced."

"The brat shouldn't have intruded on my territory," the _koorigamo_ insisted haughtily.

"It isn't your territory," Kagome repeated.

"Is now," the male defiantly spat back, clearly refusing to acknowledge any authority beyond his own.

"'fraid not," Kagome announced as her feet finally reach solid ground. She released the bubble that had protected her and the shaking chipmunk _youkai_ to send her energy out to dissolve all of the ice behind her. The _koorigamo_'s only response was a watery exclamation as he fell into the cold ebb of the tide released from his _youki_. She sighed as she squished her way back up to the road where she searched out her jacket and bag.

The jacket was wrapped around the wet body in her arm.

_Shimarisu_ were small and shy by nature. They lived deep in the woods, carving out dens between the roots of trees during the winter. The one she'd rescued was too young to be out on his own yet. He was a child, and clearly not well cared for by the state of his fur.

"Well, let's get a look at you," Kagome sighed softly as she tried to get him to look up and let go of her arm. She wanted to see his face. The state of his markings would give her an idea of his age and general health, but getting him to look at her should help calm him down some. Maybe.

She also needed a firm grasp of his _youki_ if her _reiki_ was going to be able to back track him to the den he came from. Kagome couldn't just assume guardianship of him because she rescued him. She needed to see him home or invite attack by whomever had been taking care of him. The _youkai_ _chiji_. Ryoichi would act as her go between and help police the _youkai_ in his assigned area, but if she stole a _youkai_ child, she would likely receive retaliation from higher up the _youkai_ governing system.

"Hey, look at me," Kagome cooed to him softly. "I need to feel your _youki_ so I can take you home."

Large dark eyes peeked up at her, surrounded by the dark and light stripes that typified his kind. He seemed extremely wary of her. Hardly surprising given his most recent experiences and exposure to her _reiki_. Kagome had found that most _youkai_ were a little leery of her when they first discovered her inherent power. It didn't matter if it was used against them or used to protect them. Instinct told them it could hurt and only a profound trust built after years of work and interaction would teach them otherwise. Even then, most _youkai_ remained tense.

Kagome understood it. Well she understood as much as someone without clamoring instincts could. If she lost control of it for any reason, she could hurt any _youkai_ around her. It was how she was first coerced into attending the shrine school. Without training, her energy flared and danced around her, sometimes harmless and sometimes blistering.

Even if she hadn't ended up in charge of a shrine, Kagome would have needed to learn how to contain her _reiki_.

"I'm not going to hurt you, but I do need to see you home and explain things," Kagome continued, trying really hard not to be discouraged. A lot of the local _youkai_ held up _reiki_ users as the boogie men who punished bad children. "You haven't broken any rules yet, I have no reason to hurt you." She'd meant it as a joke, but it was also serious in the intent to soothe the male. Shrine keepers maintained the rules of peace. Even bogey monsters wouldn't go after children for something small and parent imposed only.

Instead the shivering increased as the small body ducked in on itself in effort to move out of her view.

"It's all right," she sighed again. "I think I've got enough to find the way home."

Most trackers would follow physical signs of something or someone passing. A foot print here, and tuft of hair or fur there. The occasional bruised plant sending up a strong odor of protest to tickle the nose. _Youkai_ hunters would mostly follow scent, similar to the animal they most closely resembled. Kagome was limited by a lack of hunting ability and her human senses. What she did have was the ability to detect _youki_ which, like everything else about a person would leave some trace of its passing through an area.

It wasn't easy, or quick, but she never had to worry about the rain washing away scent. She didn't have to worry about snow or wind covering up or obscuring tracks. Spirit energy had no real physical presence to be effected by weather. Only the passage of another energy source could obscure the trails left behind.

Entering the forest at night wasn't exactly a safe thing to do. _Youkai_ lived there, but the trees weren't so packed that a human walking under the canopy was guaranteed to encounter some hunting creature out to snack on human flesh. The bigger dangers were far more mundane. There were the natural predators, animals that rode the top of the food chain. Homo-sapiens may be the penultimate reach of the natural world, resting below _youkai_ and other supernatural species, but when it comes to hunting the forest in the dark, humans fell far from the peak of evolution, especially with her hands full and tired, slightly numb feet. Tripping over her own damn feet or a tree root or some forest debris from the fall were enough to cause injury. If she was lucky she wouldn't break a limb or the skin of either herself or her charge. Blood would call animals or lesser spirits to check out what was bleeding in the dark forest, like sharks to distressed prey.

Eventually, in less time than she was expecting, she found the little chipmunk's den. It was too close to town. No other _youkai_ came so near humans for their homes unless they were just bird-brained enough to believe their own invincibility included the ability to go without sleep. The shrine was placed where it was **because** _youkai_ habitually preferred territories deeper in the woods than this.

All of the little clues were painting a picture that had Kagome wondering if the male in her arms truly was on his own despite his age and inexperience. A good look at the inside of what stood as his den, she knew it was fact.

The small dug out space was too shallow to suffice. When winter truly set in, the young male would freeze to death. The entry held no cover and no depth. Any snow that came would blow right into the area he strove to shelter in. Every gust of wind from the usual direction would diffuse any heat that generated inside the tiny hollow.

Kagome clucked as she revised her assessment. He wasn't just taking care of himself. There was another smaller body curled inside, shivering and frightened. Wide dark eyes glittered out at her, the muted moonlight filtering through the canopy enough to trace the _youki_ line right down to the terrified gaze.

The body in her arms gave off a strange sort of yip that was answered by a softer echo, low and slightly higher pitched. The sound proved that this was likely the right place to return her burden, but also that there was no adult associated with him. The _youkai_ sheltering here was likely even younger than the one she'd saved and both were not going to survive the winter without greater assistance.

Kagome sighed before awkwardly reaching across her own body and under her shaking injured arm to pull out her cell phone. This far away from town it was more a waste of battery power to carry it and attempt to use it. Growing up in Tokyo had instilled a solid habit of carrying one around at all times. That she hadn't grown out of it after so many years in Hokkaido was probably a sign she was as yet unwilling to completely accept her total severance from her life there and the past she could no longer return to.

For now, it supplied her with a small glowing light to see by, one powerful enough to show her where her second charge was situated. For all she knew there was a low ceiling in their den a foot in or something. Seeing where the _youki_ lines were wouldn't tell her the dimensions of the enclosed space. If a _youkai_ mold grew over the surface, it would be different, but most greater fungi, mosses, and algae preferred warmer climes.

Kagome reached for the huddling creature, carefully ducking low and balancing on her over burdened feet without the assistance of one arm. She would have set down the male so she could use both hands to pull the frightened creature out, but he chose to dig his claws in deeper when she crouched down. Gritting her teeth together to bar any muttered or murmured complaints or frustrations from escaping to their ears, she wrestled the second _shimarisu _from the small hollow and tucked it into her already occupied arm.

The pair together weighed about as much as a human toddler, a burden she could carry, but would grow increasingly heavy the longer it took Kagome to get home.

"I'm sorry," Kagome apologized to the terrified and shaking pair. "I know you are scared, but you can't stay here. You need food and warmth and you obviously are not going to receive either here." She put her phone away and dug out a _meishi_ to leave behind. She imbued the card stock with a mild dose of her _reiki_ before sticking it in the soil of the den opening. If the pair were somehow being watched after by a particularly negligent guardian that happened to make an appearance, this would direct them to the shrine.

"Come on," Kagome hefted them both in the same arm and rocked back on her heels and upright. The move was a difficult one and strained muscles she knew would complain later. "I'll call Ryoichi-_chiji_-_san_ as soon as we reach the shrine and help you get warm. The sooner we get there the sooner we can **all** eat." She continued a litany of calm words occasionally punctuated with puffs of panting breath.

The trek to the shrine seemed to take eternity as Kagome stumbled through the dark under the canopy of the trees. She had to find the road. She wanted out of the forest as fast as possible. Once she made it that far, it was easier to keep her feet and judge her progress. Keeping the pair of tiny bodies tucked into her chest, she carefully paced herself. Her feet were starting to hurt in their soggy confinement, the shoes that were otherwise comfortable were rough and stiff in their moist state. The water she'd stepped in was cold and hadn't warmed up much since being marched away from the marsh. Her shoulder ached from the weight of her youkai charges, the burning scratches left by scrabbling claws, and the cold water saturating the fabric of her sleeve. If she was lucky, her skin would only be marked with the irritation of rubbing against wet material and not taking on the pallor associated with frostbite.

Kagome had not suffered the loss of digits to the cold yet, though there had been several amputations among other locals in the years since her relocation to the shrine. The elements were harsh and survival was sometimes bought with fingers and toes. It wasn't even limited to the colder months, this far north the sea never truly warmed. Fishermen came in often with cold injuries during the hottest time of the year, though "hot" was relative up here.

She needed to get the three of them warm and dry as quickly as possible. The damp male might be able to survive in tact, but Kagome bore no illusions about her own susceptibility to the cold. They all needed to eat something, both to warm up and to insure full recovery of good health. Or to prevent the onset of illness.

The journey up to the shrine and the white gravel path seemed to take longer than she remembered. The crunching under foot was loud and ominous, as if her future was about to take a great turn in a new direction. Change was always scary when it loomed on the horizon. Kagome shivered with a thrilling fear she hadn't felt in years. Saving a pair of adolescent youkai was part of her job as peacekeeper, negotiator and _reiki_ user. It was also likely to widen the boundaries her life had taken on in recent history.

Uncertainty hung in the air and made her anxious until the gravel gave way to the shrine proper. Then Kagome shook the feelings off and sent her thoughts barreling down more immediate productive paths.

Planning her next few hours meticulously as she hurried across the grounds and around the shadowed wall. Papers crackled with the breeze in the dark night, speaking of missives left to make announcements or communicate meeting times. She would clear the general debris from the surface soon in order to prevent the fliers and signs from crumbling to litter the grounds and interfere with the natural composting bred into the brush of a healthy forest. None of the postings would last beyond the first snow as modern paper was very susceptible to repeated dampening and drying.

She slid the main outer door open with relief, dropping her bag of almost forgotten snacks beside the wall and kicked off her soggy, half frozen shoes. Kagome hurried to the closet where she stored her extra linens and pulled out a fluffy towel, a blanket and the _futon_ set for the _kotatsu_. Dragging out the linens took more effort than expected as neither youkai was willing to let go of her arm or each other.

"Okay you two, I need my arm back," Kagome muttered at the pair. "None of us are likely to get warm and fed if I can't put you down." Two pairs of dark eyes turned to stare up at her in seeming incomprehension before slowly the joint grip loosened enough for her to set them down. She swiftly attacked each of them with the towel. One was still moderately soaked from the marsh and the other had collected enough moisture from contact with Kagome and the first to need drying off as well.

Kagome quickly shrugged out of her dampened, ruined sweater, revealing a short-sleeved undershirt that was vastly dryer. Her arm was red from a collection of thin scratches and prolonged exposure to the cold water carried by her sleeve and the _shimarisu_ fur that had been pressed against it. Deft movements settled the _futon_ under the table legs and the handmade quilted _kotatsu_ blanket into place to hold the heat under the table. Then she plugged in the heater with the temperature set to the lowest setting. She wanted to warm them up slowly. Too fast could cause blisters or damage beneath the skin. Even using the heater was a risk, but her bath was traditional, requiring she heat the water in the tub and that would take too long to do them any good.

Allowing the pair that turned out to be one male and one smaller female to keep the towel, she advised them to cuddle under the _kotatsu_ for warmth while she went about making phone calls and setting some food to cook. The bag of seaweed snacks was opened and left for them to munch on while they waited for something more substantial.

Kagome called Ryoichi. He never picked up, hating the device with a fiery, tumultuous passion. Most _youkai_ loathed electronic communication, whether it be a land line phone, a beeper, or the most advanced cell phone available. Ryoichi's level of middle government in the _youkai_ system was required to be accessible at **all** times. In a territory like Hokkaido where the population was so far flung, the only way Ryoichi could pull that off was to carry a cell phone or a beeper. His service was as spotty as everybody else's, but he checked his messages several times a day.

They had a system so he could spend as little time with his phone as possible. Kagome pressed '2' twice to notify him of a non-emergency needing _youkai_ attention. Pressing '1' indicated a situation that required he drop everything the minute he received the message to handle something likely to have major negative impact on human/_youkai_ relations. Pressing '3' three times indicated a _youkai _death, a single death which meant that Ryoichi didn't have to rush, but needed to come deal with the aftermath. If she ever pressed '4', all _youkai_ needed to pull out and he needed to head to Tokyo and _youkai _leaders to warn of the apocalypse or pending world war.

That last code was universal for all shrines. If a four went out from any shrine, it went to Tokyo by as many avenues as could be used. The message would run from shrine to shrine, shrine to _youkai_ official or even prominent community leaders. Up here, if Ryoichi somehow failed to receive the message and carry it south, Natsuo would also be headed that way with most of her family and any forest youkai met along the way. If Kagome had any family, she would send them, but she herself would be required to stay and monitor the situation, try to correct it if possible. Kagome, as a _reiki_ user, was required to stay. She could, if absolutely necessary, eliminate up to twenty _youkai _bent on actions catastrophically hazardous to the dual existence of the natural and supernatural denizens of her area of responsibility.

Such a message had not been sent in almost fifty years and Kagome took a moment to send out a silent wish that it wouldn't happen in the future either. There had been far fewer emergencies of that type once the whole country had solidified _youkai_ rule under one leader. The rule wasn't perfect, but it was effective. Kagome was grateful to have never lived in an earlier period of history.

She hung up on Ryoichi and placed a second call, waiting for it to connect.

"Fujimoto residence. Tasuke speaking," A male voice spoke into the phone sounding slightly echoed over the old style connection.

"This is Higurashi Kagome, I need to speak with Fujimoto Natsuo please," Kagome announced as she cradled the phone between her ear and shoulder, measuring out rice into her rice cooker before adding the necessary water.

"Hold on a sec," the boy replied before setting down the receiver and hollering for his "_Obaa-sama_" to answer the phone. Kagome was certain she heard an added comment that Moriko had done something else to the shrine, clearly aiming to get the other _kitsune_ in further trouble. Either that, or he was just teasing.

"Higurashi-_sama_," came the familiar voice. "I was not expecting to hear from you quite so soon after dropping off Moriko."

Kagome hummed as she shut the lid on the rice cooker before setting it to cook. "I didn't either, but the journey home turned into more of an adventure than expected. I am in need of a nurse with your special expertise to come out to the shrine. Preferably tonight."

"Have you injured yourself? Strained your old injury?" the elder female inquired as that most commonly was Kagome's need for a nurse though rarely was there such an urgency for assistance. "I can schedule an appointment when I get in tomorrow." Her tone was slightly incredulous over the likelihood that Kagome's reason for calling truly was something like that. Typically, when Kagome's wrist acted up, she would suffer through the night to call the office in the morning rather than interrupt personal time with family in the evening.

"I'm afraid this is not something that can be handled by the office, Fujimoto-_san_," the _Jinja no sewanin_ sighed quietly, "though I have been superficially injured in the course of my adventure this evening that is not what I need your help for." Kagome held her breath hoping Natsuo would stop being obtuse and pick up on what she couldn't say.

There was more than one reason for the numeral code used between shrines and _youkai_ officials. Non-secured lines were a risk for unintentional communication with the uninitiated. In a rural area like this, being overheard was a bit more dangerous than in the city. It was more likely as the youth this far north had less to distract them from more intricate methods of mischief. And there was no greater, more satisfactory mischief to pull off than eavesdropping on the unknowing.

"So what you're saying is that you need me to come assist you with something," Natsuo spoke slowly. "Something I am specifically qualified to aid you with."

"Yes," Kagome agreed with incredible relief. "You might want to bring someone to assist. Someone younger."

"I am capable of-"

"**Significantly** younger," Kagome stressed, hating to cut the elder off, but eager to get her here sooner. "If it were just a physical problem that needed solving, you would be more than capable, but there is more to this situation than what can be held and measured."

"Hmm," Natsuo hummed pensively. "I shall collect some necessary supplies and the requested assistant and be there within the half hour."

"See you then, Fujimoto-_san_," Kagome replied before hanging up the phone. She shrugged her shoulders wearily, trying to loosen the muscles tightening along her neck and strained arm. "That was a _youkai_ from town," she explained aloud for the benefit of her guests. Kagome often spoke her thoughts in the evening time. She didn't have a television for the reception out here was spotty, and the radio was limited in its broadcasts and generally irritated her more than entertained. During the summer it wasn't so bad, but the winter months when the nights lasted so long, if she didn't talk to herself she would never hear another voice in her home. "Fujimoto Natsuo-_san_ is one of the oldest _kitsune_ in _Nishi no Mura_. She'll help me figure out what to do for you."

Kagome was careful to keep her back turned to the pair huddling over the bag of crunchy snacks. She wasn't worried they would bolt as long as the sound of their teeth working the crisp seaweed bites filled the space. For extra insurance, the _Jinja no sewanin_ adjusted the _reiki _barrier posted along the property lines. Before it merely alerted the _youkai_ of her presence and power, now it would keep her guests from leaving without her consent.

Now that she had taken on the responsibility for the pair, Kagome wasn't about to relinquish it until she knew they would be well. She needed to know that when they left her care they would be fed regularly, sheltered properly and taught what they needed to know to remain healthy and happy as they grew. In short, she wasn't letting them go unless it was directly into the care of guardians that would raise and nurture them until adulthood.

Kagome saw every task she took on to the end. She did when she could anyway.

She started knocking through the cupboards, searching out something mild and filling to go with the rice. She wasn't feeling up to anything elaborate and she doubted her new house guests were either. Kagome had some pickled vegetables and a small amount of _miso_ paste. She was in need of a grocery trip the next day if her guests stayed on, but food would have to be addressed in any solution offered for her temporary charges. She could afford to keep them on the shrine, but the townspeople would notice if she started buying enough food to feed three people instead of one. It would be even more obvious if the little _youkai_ ate in a similar way to growing human children.

A crinkle of paper filled the room as the wrapper for the snacks was snagged by two pairs of paws and dragged under the blankets in a rush. All four sides of the blanket billowed slightly outward from the movement before settling to hide all evidence that two s_himarisu_ were even present. The crinkle was muffled by the fabric, but even then, it was obvious when the packaging began to rip under the exploring claws and noses. Clearly the snacks were gone and the pair were still very hungry.

Kagome smiled lightly at their antics before turning back to her cupboards. She wasn't certain what she could feed them. Rice was standard in a human diet, and she knew that some _youkai_ were fond of it, but she didn't know if it was good for them. And not all _youkai_ species were the same. Many shared dietary characteristics with their animal cousins, predators leaned to animal protein heavy diets where herbivores were more likely to graze constantly on various vegetables. It wasn't a strict carry over though.

Some species that were strictly herbivores as animals were carnivores as _youkai_ and some carnivores were strictly herbivores after the crossover. Most changes weren't that extreme. Chipmunks in the wild would eat anything available when preferred options were scarce. Kagome didn't think the _youkai_ version were much different, but some animals had difficulty eating certain things that seemed mostly mundane to humans. She knew for a fact that _inu_ had trouble with onions and garlic.

A sharp rap on the door followed by the swift swish of wood frame sliding against the rail signaled the arrival of Fujimoto Natsuo. "I'm here Higurashi-_sama_," the fox called across the room. "Now what am I here for."

"Fujimoto-_san_," Kagome hurried across the small space between her kitchen cupboards and the door. "Thank you for coming so quickly." She wasn't surprised in the least to see the _kitsune_ stripped of her camouflaging charm. The kind of speed Kagome had asked for would have impacted the elder female's ability to keep it up. There were a pair of smaller _kitsune_ holding onto Natsuo's bushy gray tail. "They've retreated under the table. A pair of _Shimarisu_ without appropriate monitoring. I retrieved one, the male from a freezing ducking and the other when I tried to return him home. Their shelter was inadequate and they're clearly in need of some specialized care and direction from higher up for their immediate future."

"Have you gotten anything intelligible out of them?" the fox asked briskly as she tossed up the blanket hanging from one side of the _kotatsu_, two furry bodies darted underneath and four exploded out the other side. "Hm, they are small. Even for _Shimarisu_."

"Nothing that I understood," Kagome answered as she returned to trying to figure out what to serve with the rice that was cooking.

"You haven't eaten?" Natsuo paused in her efforts to calm the energetic chasing of young foxes and squirrels.

"I got home just as I called you," Kagome replied wryly as she tried to search out anything more hidden deeper on the shelves behind dishes. "Some surprise shrine work turned up on the way home. Their presence here is a result of it. I've already called Ryoichi."

"You're all wet," the _kitsune_ observed.

"Only a little. My sweater got the worst of it and I took that off as soon as I got home," Kagome replied, ducking lower to investigate the contents of her generally empty fridge. She didn't normally cook enough to have leftovers. Her meals avoided using things that wouldn't keep for days as she sometimes forgot to eat all together. Shortly after she first came north, it was hard to find an appetite. She'd gotten better over time, but she still occasionally forgot to eat. It hadn't happened today and she was trying to keep Natsuo from thinking it had.

"Tasuke go heat up the _furo_," Natsuo called to the final guest Kagome hadn't noticed before. "Let me see your arm, I can smell the blood from here."

"He was frightened and clawing at the ice to get to air," Kagome defended the male that clawed at her arm. "Besides, my jumper got the worst of it."

"The reason matters not," Natsuo brushed off the explanation. "He broke skin and while the injury may not be serious now, his claws were not likely very clean. Infection is a huge risk and we need you in top form until we find a solution for their housing future. Besides, as I doubt they came here under their own power, you probably strained your muscles carrying them. A good scrub will help prevent complications in those scratches and a hot soak will soothe any damaged or sore soft tissue."

"But I-"

"I will send Tasuke back to the house to provide us with enough food, ready made. We can supply what is needed without issue. What you have here wouldn't be enough for just you let alone two half starved _youkai_ kits," Natsuo insisted.

"I don't eat that much, Fujimoto-_san_," Kagome huffed.

"Today you do," the fox insisted. "Now go scrub down and soak in the tub. By the time you are done I will have a better assessment of your new charges after Yui and Moto have worn them down a bit."

"Shouldn't they scrub down too?" Kagome asked. "Both have had a bit too much contact with icy water tonight."

"Unlike either of them, you're the one who is still wearing wet clothes, made no effort to prevent illness or infection," the nurse pointedly scolded Kagome.

"I had to get them taken care of first," Kagome defended herself.

"That was then," Natsuo shrugged. "We are here now."

"Flame is lit," Tasuke announced upon reentering the main room. The _furo_ was a luxury and a necessity. It had been in the original plans for the shrine keeper's quarters. There were not many winter storms capable of cutting the shrine off from town, but the hand full that could tended to effect the wood _youkai_ more. There wasn't a winter where some family from deeper in the forest didn't need to come to the shrine desperate to save some family member from frost bite or exposure.

"Go on," Natsuo urged Kagome. "The tub will be warmed up properly by the time you're done scrubbing up. Do not think of coming back again until I call you." The matron sternly directed the caretaker. "You need a long soak to gain any benefit. The kits will likely calm better with you out of the room. I'll place a change of clothes in the outer room for you, so get going. "

"My mother is alive and well in Tokyo, Fujimoto-_san_," Kagome replied flatly as she headed out of the room. "I do not yet have need of another."

"Nice try Higurashi-_sama_, but the mother's union requires looking after the children of all mothers in their absence," the fox replied without missing a beat.

Kagome huffed in amusement before fully dropping the conversation with a snap of the slider against the frame leading into the changing room. She could hear the small bodies still scurrying about like furry cannon balls through the thin partition a few moments before Natsuo obviously managed to settle the four little ones down. It happened faster than she would have thought possible. There must be some powerful _kitsune_ magic going on. Kagome smiled to herself and shook her head, content to leave it at that. She didn't need the details.

As a reiki user and growing up on a shrine, Kagome had very few mysteries left to marvel at. She was content for this one to remain.


	2. Chapter 2

See notes in First Chapter. + Yes this will EVENTUALLY be a Sess/Kag

**II**

As Kagome struggled to escape the cobwebbed depths of deep sleep. Something tingled along her _reiki_. The shrine grounds were protected by a barrier of energy kept in place by the inherent holy energy that imbued the shrine from past _reiki_ users and reinforced by the current one in residence. It's original purpose had been modified through the years as relations with the non-humans in the area grew more or less peaceful. When Kagome came here, it hadn't been set to repel _youkai_ in decades.

The traditional _Seishin-tekina shouheki _was generally modified to notify the shrine family of non-human visitors. The relationship between shrine caretakers and visiting _youkai_, spirits, and _kami_ was vastly different from the general public always had been, but the knowledge of what was in the area still served the same purpose.

Kagome had added a slightly rare modification, beyond the temporary one added last night to keep her _shimarisu_ guests on the property. Hers was designed to keep one specific person out. There was no way she was letting **that** person in for anything. It had never been tested before, but she was confident the change was both effective and robust.

The continued noise from the shield only proved what she'd already known. Her barrier kept him out. Now if only she could set a time limit on the other characteristics of the _Seishin-tekina shouheki_. Kagome could really rather do without the wake up call every time some visiting _youkai_ decided daylight hours were too restrictive.

Kagome had every intention of ignoring the tugging at her attention and letting him rot for as long as it took, but her duty to the shrine and his current location indicated he would be a nuisance and an obstruction to regular patron traffic. So, after leaving him to rage and stew for a couple hours while she prepared some food to share with her charges, Kagome headed out in the gray morning light to address the problem. Her problem. She could hear him long before she could see him.

Kagome took a deep breath, trying to settle her nerves, it wouldn't do for the shrine representative to go into a confrontation ready to breath fire. Even if he deserved it. One of them had to attempt to act like an adult. Inuyasha never was very good at managing his temper.

"You let me in!" she heard around an excessive onslaught of vitriol. His vocabulary had seemingly failed to expand with age. Truly, there wasn't much that had changed since she'd last seen him seven years ago. His white hair and pointed ears were still unkempt in a windblown way that was too genuine to be stylized. His amber eyes still burned with his every emotion which ran far too often to passion of every kind. When she was younger she'd admired that passion. Now she just wondered how long it would take for her to burn out trying to keep up with him. It was entirely likely she'd have been left dragged behind him.

"I will not," she countered softly. "This shrine is barred to you and so it will stay." Kagome's grandfather had wanted to bar Inuyasha from the shrine in Tokyo, but her mother had refused to allow it. For some reason, Higurashi Akina had believed Kagome's reaction was over done, that filing a report for the assault that landed her in the hospital was unnecessary. That had been one of the reasons Kagome and her grandfather had decided she needed to leave Tokyo, being at risk of further assault while her own mother tried to talk Kagome into forgiving Inuyasha's violence was not exactly safe or healthy. She had been vulnerable enough without family trying to take advantage of her and advising her to settle for an unfaithful male who had already put her in the hospital.

"Kagome," Inuyasha breathed like he wasn't expecting to see her. His reaction might have made outsiders believe he'd been desperate to find her. That he loved her. That she was connected to him in some intimate eternal way. Kagome wanted to throw a fit. They weren't connected and he didn't love her and he had no reason to search for her even if he hadn't known where she was.

Her relocation seven years ago had been somewhat kept a secret from him. But it wasn't a secret in general. She still communicated with some mutual friends. Formerly mutual friends. Her mail was sent here – to a P.O. Box the next town over. And a brief search of the area would have revealed a Higurashi managed shrine without difficulty. It wasn't impossible to find her if he'd really tried. Not that she wanted him to.

He had no reason to be here. This was not the territory he was responsible for. When his father had opted to delegate some of the responsibility of ruling to his sons, he'd given the Northern territories over to Sesshoumaru's hands and Inuyasha got the south. Even then, Inuyasha was an incredibly hands off kind of _daijin_, to the benefit of the lands and people stuck under his watch. Inuyasha was too disorganized to handle the job more closely and Kagome understood that their father tended to step in far more often for Inuyasha than he ever had with Sesshoumaru.

Inuyasha's step up to governing had been a relatively new development, though it had been widely prophesied for decades before it happened. Kagome was just glad there hadn't been a reshuffle of powers when it occurred. Kagome chose to go north for a reason.

With a choice between the two, Kagome chose Sesshoumaru who rarely let Inuyasha delve into his territories. If Inuyasha wasn't here in any official capacity, then he was here for a personal reason and he wasn't getting in. She didn't trust him and he was the whole reason she left Tokyo the way she did.

"What are you doing here, Inuyasha-_san_?" she asked pointedly to move the fiasco forward to conclusion. The last thing she wanted to happen today was to be stuck arguing with him for hours in a stalemate because she wouldn't let him in and he wouldn't leave it at that. She expected a _youkai_ official affiliated with Sesshoumaru and higher up the food chain than Ryoichi to come out and assess her two charges and shrine. _Youkai _worked fast to solve these types of problems.

"That's your reaction? No 'hello'? No 'How you doing'?" Inuyasha huffed then started to give that boyish grin he applied to smooth over situations. "No 'I missed you and wished you would come and save me from this place.'"

Kagome had grown immune to it when he dumped her at the behest of his other girlfriend, the one she'd known nothing about. "I left Tokyo and pointedly refused to keep in contact with you. I did so willingly, just to get away from **you**."

"What? Why would you want to get away from me?" Inuyasha seemed genuinely puzzled, his ears dropping with the emotion.

"Don't you remember our last meeting?" Kagome asked. "The one where you dragged me out of the bar I had gone to with my study group after finals. It apparently looked too cheerful and normal for you so soon after you dropped me. Assault is an ugly thing. One would think the complaint I lodged with the authorities about you might have given you a hint." She and her study group had just survived a rather involved exam and were relaxing in a regular student hang out. A number of her fellows had called in their significant others to swell up their numbers. Inuyasha had never been invited because there hadn't been an exam during their short relationship. Besides, he never seemed to take her academic aspirations seriously.

"You're over reacting." Inuyasha scoffed. "Just because Kikyou wouldn't let me date you and her officially anymore didn't mean we weren't together. And I didn't assault you."

"Inuyasha," Kagome wanted to roll her eyes. "I landed in the hospital. You smacked me. You dug your claws into my arm." Her words were clipped in effort to control the emotional reaction bringing it up generally caused. If anything, she was minimizing what he did. "Assault is what it was; what it **is**. And I would have dumped you when I found out you were dating the both of us at the same time." She didn't know **how** Kikyou could live with the solution she'd chosen. Dumping the other girl would not have solved things for Kagome. If he would cheat once, he would cheat again, and even if he didn't, the suspicion that he **could** would always be there. Distrust was an ugly thing to have in a relationship.

"What for, we had a good relationship? You love me," Inuyasha crossed his arms apparently dropping the issue of assault altogether. He often did that. If he didn't like how a subject was going and couldn't think of a solid way to refute it, he pretended it had never been brought up.

Kagome noticed how his words never indicated an actual affection for her. It was always his assumption that she wanted him. From the beginning it was the same way, she just didn't find his unjustified confidence cute.

"Because I do not agree with polyamorous relationships, and you clearly do not share the same principles I do," Kagome answered. "I would not abuse someone I loved. I would not smack an ex for moving on with their life. I would not interfere with their life whether I thought they were moving on too soon or not." Sure, being dumped had hurt. His method had been humiliating and the timing was awful, but it wasn't the end of her world. Even if she lived to the end of her life without finding someone else, she still would have been capable of happiness and fulfillment. Their relationship hadn't been that profound or deep.

"We weren't exes. We still aren't," Inuyasha insisted. Kagome barely refrained from gaping at him. "I just found you so you can come back to Tokyo and we can get back to living our lives the right way." Further proof that she would have ended the relationship eventually. He dumped her quite publicly. There was no way she would have stood for being his secret lover. There was no reason for her to do that.

Kagome raised an eyebrow at him. "No." She returned flatly. She wanted no room for him to misconstrue her words. There was no argument to be had. She refused to be near him, to let him on her shrine, or to subject herself to his clear disrespect of her free agency.

"Come on, wench!" Inuyasha growled. He never was good at taking refusal well. Or using her name, why had she bothered to continue the relationship after that surfaced. "Surely you've gotten over whatever snit you were in."

"Snit?" Kagome repeated in disbelief. "You think dropping everything in Tokyo and moving to the far end of the country from you and any possible chance of running into you was the result of a snit?" Way to minimize the enormity of her actions and motives.

"You always were a moody-"

"Get lost, you Chauvinist, abusive, prig," Kagome shouted angrily. How dare he belittle her in that way. She was not "moody" and even if she was, a "snit" would not have resulted in such dire and long term actions. "I deny you entry to my shrine as you have no reason to be here."

"You can't do that!" Inuyasha hollered back. "Shrines are meant to be open to the public and a place of sanctuary."

"I'm already offering sanctuary to a pair of worthy patrons. You are a danger to them," Kagome replied. She couldn't trust him to control himself any more than she could trust a frustrated toddler. The difference was that when he threw a tantrum, his flailing limbs could kill the kits hiding in her home. "Their claim takes precedence over yours as they were here first. You have no jurisdiction over how they are treated as they are not your citizens. When Sesshoumaru sends a representative or appears himself, entrance will be granted to them. And you will still remain outside the grace of this shrine. When this situation is resolved and they move beyond staying at this shrine, whenever that time comes, you will still be denied entry to this shrine."

Inuyasha looked ready to explode but Kagome stood ready to reinforce her barrier if needed to keep him out. It shouldn't, but in the off chance that he was stronger than the strongest _youkai_ in Japan, Kagome would keep him out.

"This Sesshoumaru has appeared," a deep voice broke in from slightly behind and to the side of their little altercation. A drizzle began to fall mid confrontation, so Kagome's first glimpse of the elder _youkai_ _daijin_ was awash in chilly dampness and gray light. "It is a strange occurrence to find you here little brother, as no access was granted to you or any of your people to appear this deep into my territory. One wonders why you have trespassed so far."

"Keh," Inuyasha snorted before shutting his mouth, unwilling to divulge anything to his elder sibling. Kagome wished he'd react that way to her too. She could live the rest of her life without hearing a single word from the fool again.

"Welcome Sesshoumaru-_dono_," Kagome bowed in respectful greeting. She was a little embarrassed to be caught shouting at his younger brother. It didn't exactly promote the image of mature, stable, and responsible adult hoping to shelter two young _youkai. _ "I was not expecting to address the subject of my guests with you personally."

"Hn," the stoic _inu_ regarded her briefly. She couldn't tell what his opinion was at this moment. "This situation is markedly unusual and requires a delicate hand to manage it. This Sesshoumaru will insure every viable solution is investigated fully."

Kagome nodded before turning to lead the way into the shrine grounds. She did her best to hide her nerves over his decision or the residual anger she felt toward the _hanyou_ still lingering on the gravel beyond the _torii_ gate.

"Oi!" Inuyasha griped after Sesshoumaru managed to enter the grounds without issue and he was still denied access. "We weren't finished. Get back here! Kagome!"

"I already informed you I wouldn't let you in, Inuyasha-_san_," Kagome reminded him without turning. She heard the rustle of wet clothing that indicated Sesshoumaru had turned to observe his brother's frustration, but she didn't pause. She wasn't going to gloat. She wasn't going to taunt him. Inuyasha's influence on her life had ended when she filed the police report with human and _youkai_ authorities and fled her home to get away from him.

Some might argue that living up here was evidence of his continuing influence, and in a way, her experience with Inuyasha's perfidy would always color her perception. He as a person would offer no more effect than that ever again.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha called angrily. "Get back here! You're being unreasonable!"

"You know this one's half sibling?" Sesshoumaru observed as they approached her private area on the quieter side of the grounds. Even here, Kagome could hear Inuyasha's continuing tirade and demands for a return of her attention. She didn't need the noise to know his mood. With her departure from his line of sight, the half demon had resumed attacking and testing the _Seishin-tekina shouheki_.

"I did once, years ago," Kagome replied with the obvious answer. She was mildly surprised at his question into Inuyasha's past relationships but dismissed it quickly. The regal _inu_ was likely more concerned with **her** ties than his half brother's. "It was a rather debilitating episode of my life. The consequences are on-going and require constant managing."

"What did the whelp do?" Sesshoumaru demanded. Some might label it as curiosity. Kagome concluded it was really an investigation into her motivations and reactions. As the _inu_ intended to research every solution offered for the care and well-being of her guests, he would be looking into **her**. Moving across country, uprooting her entire life was a drastic action. Her reason to do so would hold some bearing on his judgment concerning her fitness to nurture the two kits hiding in her shrine.

Kagome had offered to house the pair of chipmunks for the winter. The two were too weak and malnourished to require more than steady food and suitable shelter until the weather warmed up with spring. She could keep them on the grounds with reasonable expectation of preventing their existence from being discovered by visitors. It was a rare patron that visited often in the colder months. When things warmed back up, keeping them would require more effort as they grew more active and healthy.

"He nearly killed me with a tantrum seven years ago," she informed him bluntly. "I was in the hospital for weeks recuperating. Physical therapy followed for years after that." Pausing just behind the partition that separated her yard from the shrine, she held her wrist out to him, showing Sesshoumaru the scars that decorated her wrist like silvery white charms without an attached bracelet. Nobody who looked at it could think she'd done it to herself. The angles were all wrong. "I was lucky I didn't struggle when he grabbed my arm. If I had, the wounds would have been worse and cut across the vein." It would have been a lethal effort to free herself. "His claws were dirty, which isn't surprising."

"Cleanliness was never that one's strong suit," Sesshoumaru offered as he gently studied the remnant of Inuyasha's violence. His thumb stroked over the pulse dancing beside one of the longest sections of scar tissue. It was a miracle Inuyasha's careless grip had missed the vein.

"The wound became infected," Kagome continued with a nod of acknowledgment. "The infection slowed down healing in that wound and -" she trailed off. "He backhanded me. His claws didn't catch in that wound, but he caught my ear enough to pop the membrane." And the flesh over her cheekbone had swelled so much it split the skin. She certainly hadn't been pretty to look at and the infection hadn't helped her heal any.

"The infection effected your healing there too," he guessed.

Kagome soberly nodded again. A human body could only heal so much at one time, even one that collected a surplus of _reiki_. Her body decided the infected life threatening wound was more important than the quick healing of her ear injury. "I'm not deaf in that ear, but the range was severely affected. It took awhile to relearn how to relate to my environment. The move away from all that I knew helped somewhat." After all, it was easier to learn how to relate to a new environment than to relearn or unlearn how she had always related to an old on. There was always the fear that her hearing would deteriorate with age or various environmental factors living this far north presented. Deafness didn't run in her family, but severe injury could interfere with the gifts of her genetics.

"You filed a report," Sesshoumaru revealed he had eavesdropped before declaring his presence. He was probably surprised that she had, given that the report hadn't seemed to go anywhere after that. Masashi was believed to be hard on interspecies violence. Except as concerned his youngest son.

"I knew nothing would come of it," Kagome shrugged as she slid open the door to her quarters. "Your father, for all the good his rule has done for _youkai_ as a whole, coddles and protects Inuyasha a bit too much. I don't know if anyone has ever been assaulted by him before. I just know that by filing, I gave somebody in the future a bit more weight to throw into their report as well." She sighed as her esteemed visitor removed his shoes before stepping up onto the _tatami_. "But I can't trust him. Getting angry is allowed, but acting uncontrollably because of that anger cannot be excused. He could have killed me without intending to. He could kill them," she waved to the _kotatsu_ where the pair were intently coloring pages from a book Natsuo had dropped by yesterday. "Intent doesn't matter when you're in the hospital and your family fears you won't live. It doesn't matter when you die and don't get the chance to move on."

"Hn," he responded without obvious judgment.

"I leave you with them. If Fujimoto Natsuo finds out I've been out in the rain and didn't immediately change clothes and wash up, she will be insufferable. You need to assess them and the situation before you return to your responsibilities elsewhere. I have to stay here and put up with the attendant concerns attached to mine," she excused herself.

"Higurashi-_san_," the youkai called before she could step completely out of the room. "This Sesshoumaru will insure the _hanyou_'s departure and continue to deny him access this far north. Your report will also be looked into." He informed her before clearly dismissing her without any further words.

Kagome nodded to herself before continuing on her way. Ryoichi and Natsuo were expected to drop by today and discuss possible solutions with Sesshoumaru's representative. She wasn't expecting Sesshoumaru or his official this early and she doubted the other two had either. Sesshoumaru would have uninterrupted access to the pair of kits during her bath, but she wasn't worried. Kagome planned to be quick, the _youkai_ children were technically his wards, and everything she'd ever heard about Sesshoumaru indicated he had firm control over himself at all times. So long as nobody attacked anybody else, everything should be fine.

Inuyasha continued to bash against the _Seishin-tekina shouheki_ throughout her efforts to change clothes, get clean and warm up. He continued until her mild headache grew claws and fangs and tore across her efforts to soothe it and ignore him. The constant irritation left her surprised to walk into her main living space and find two more _youkai_ occupying the room than she'd left.

"Good morning, Ryoichi-_san_,Fujimoto-_san_," she greeted both politely. "Are Yui and Moto attending lessons?"

"It's _kitsune_ strategy games today," Natsuo replied amiably. All kits too young to hold a human facade were taught within the clan. When they were skilled enough to master a passable human guise, they started a round of school transfers to observe human behavior and conceal their non-human nature; fostering with any number of other _kitsune_ families. Mastering a human form didn't mean they had mastered how to age it realistically. "Tasuke will be by later with more food and activities for the kits."

"They've been enjoying the coloring book," Kagome responded politely, continuing the rather inane conversation. Despite her headache and the seriousness of the current situation concerning her young guests, she was still the host.

"I brought some meat for the cubs," Ryoichi declared solidly, setting a paper wrapped package on the low surface of her table. The old bear was clearly proud of his offering and patted the paper firmly after letting go. "There's even enough for you Higurashi-_san." _That feeding her was an afterthought wasn't offensive. If not for the little chipmunks adding to her grocery needs, the _higuma_ wouldn't have even thought to supplement it.

"Higurashi-_sama_ needs more than just meat," Natsuo scoffed. "The **kits** require more than just meat as well."

"The **cubs** will fill up faster with meat and meat is more expensive for Higurashi-_san_ to procure for them," Ryoichi returned.

"My guests are still present regardless of what you want to call them," Kagome cut in before the pair could start an argument over the proper nomenclature and nurturing of young _shimarisu _on top of belittling each other's contributions to the well-being of their guests. "Thank you Ryoichi-_chiji_-_san_ for your contribution. I am certain we will find a good use for it in the near future." The last thing any of them needed was a petty fight between her two biggest supports in front of Sesshoumaru and the pair of traumatized young _youkai_. "And Fujimoto-_san_, I'm certain we can easily supplement the generous gift to build a nutritious repast for anyone who intends to sup at my table."

"Hn," the regal _inu_ cut in before either of the pair could formulate a full response. _Kitsune_ and _higuma_ tensed considerably as if their usual combativeness had distracted them from the presence of their _daijin_. It was an unexpected support she was certainly glad of. Once Ryoichi and Natsuo got started it was very difficult to stop them. Such was why Kagome usually tried to keep their visits separate, a habit she'd picked up from her predecessor.

"Excuse us, Sesshoumaru-_sama_," Ryoichi coughed.

"Yes, excuse him, Sesshoumaru-_sama_, he never fully accepted that a female who has mothered more than a full brood of children is better at nurturing them than a male who has no personal association with any young at all," Natsuo added sharply.

"Damn, trick-" Ryoichi began and Kagome cut him off.

"Enough," she cried, her patience strained to the limit and the day was hardly begun. Sad that all the adults in her life were more irritating than the children spontaneously thrust into her care. "You can keep your petty arguing to yourself. Oki-_chan_ and Naoki-_kun_ have no need to learn your bad behavior and Sesshoumaru-_sama_ can certainly live without you wasting his time."

"Higurashi-_san_."

"Higurashi-_sama!_"

"Would you like some tea, Sesshoumaru-_dono_," Kagome ignored their echoing protest. She didn't know how either could offer honest protest. At least she couldn't see how the _kitsune_ could since Natsuo practically relished in instigating their squabbles. "I feel a desperate need for something soothing."

"Inuyasha remains on the gravel." Sesshoumaru nodded his acceptance. The statement could have been a question, but it wasn't. It was answer and observation to the query the others hadn't bothered to ask. Obviously Kagome needed to be soothed from the continued annoyance of the _hanyou_.

Kagome scoffed silently but offered a rather bland and falsely cheerful, "Tenacity is Inuyasha's super power." Such words could be considered insulting, but she hoped the _daijin_ she hosted would forgive her the minor disrespect. It had been a hard morning preceded by hard encounters with Inuyasha in the past.

"**That** was Inuyasha-_sama_?" Ryoichi and Natsuo growled incredulously. Both finding the unruly fool incongruent with anyone claiming blood ties to the regal _inu_ observing them from the table.

"If I had known that, I would have called all the kits up here to practice on him," Natsuo declared viciously. "They need the practice and **he** needs the torment."

"**He** is the younger son of our esteemed ruler and the half brother of Sesshoumaru-_sama_," Ryoichi scolded the _kitsune_. Still unable to connect the brash young male beating on the _Seishin-tekina shouheki_ with the great _omo_. Masashi may have been rumored to be boisterous and lively on occasion with a dry sense of humor, but he was never one to disrespect the shrines like that.

"And he's long over due for a good punishment," Natsuo returned unrepentant. "There's no love lost between our Sesshoumaru-_sama _and that half breed mistake."

"Fujimoto Natsuo-_san_!" Kagome thundered at the fox. "You are not judge and jury and you will not talk about Inuyasha-_san_'s heritage in those derogatory terms. He is a brat because of his behavior and not because of the blood his parents gave him. He had no control over his DNA anymore than any of the rest of us."

"But Higurashi-_sama_-"

"My personal history with him and the engendered animosity created from it have nothing to do with him being half of anything or three quarters of something else. It is based on his **actions**," Kagome gave a very human growl. "If you cannot separate your enmity for the southern _daijin_ from his blood then I will have to ask you to leave my quarters now. Bigotry can come from any direction and I'll not have it taught to my charges while they **are** my charges."

Silence collapsed inward over the group as even the pair of chipmunks stared at Kagome in the aftermath of her speech. "Oki-_chan_ can you get the tea things out of the bottom cupboard by the fridge?" Kagome requested calmly, attempting to return to some semblance of civility. The small female nodded and ducked under the table to crawl out the side closest the kitchen cabinets. "Noaki-_kun _would you dig out the small box of biscuits in the cabinet under the rice cooker?" The male followed the path of his younger sister.

"Did they tell you those names?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"No," Kagome took a deep breath before crouching down to set the teapot on the low table. Oki ran to Kagome with the cups and spoons carefully balanced between her paws. "We jointly decided that names would be beneficial and we managed to land upon names they agreed to respond to. I believe they are content with such names as even Fujimoto-_san_ and her grandchildren couldn't get a name out of them." Kagome smiled as Naoki handed her plates and the box of slightly sweet snacks. Setting a couple on a plate she slid it to rest between the pair as they returned to their coloring. The siblings smiled at her.

Kagome continued to portion out the cookies and pour the steaming tea around. She handled the task without formality, disregarding ritual to achieve the first, desired sip of hot, well-steeped tea. "We are here for a reason. I'd like to avoid keeping Sesshoumaru-_dono_ here longer than necessary. He has many responsibilities and this pair need a solution quickly." She cradled the cup in her hands, absorbing the warmth from the ceramic and inhaling the scent deep into her lungs. Several moments of tense quiet filled with the scraping of crayons on paper passed. "Have you assessed our charges?"

"This Sesshoumaru has," the _inu_ responded concisely. "They seem content with their environment and company. Your proposed solution is satisfactory for now. They would most benefit from a stable environment until recovering greater strength. We will readdress this in spring."

"Now see here, Higurashi-_san_ is more than capable of-" Ryoichi began explosively before trailing off. "Eh?"

"He agreed, you idiot," Natsuo muttered to the black bear. "You should listen before trying to argue your point. Clearly there is no need for it."

"I was expecting to have to argue the merit of the plan when I learned Sesshoumaru-_sama_ was planning to address it personally," Ryoichi defended himself. "He is not known for easily accepting the unconventional solutions," he added in a mutter that was cut off by a sharp look from the _youkai_ making the decisions.

"Thank you for your decision, Sesshoumaru-_dono_," Kagome ignored the side conversation. "It makes me feel more settled to have a decision on this subject, even if it is only until spring. I am more easy knowing that Oki-_chan_ and Naoki-_kun_ will be safe until at least then. This is an unusual situation and will require careful handling, as you said."

"Hn," Was his only reply. "This one will remove the _hanyou_ from his territory on his way to Tokyo. This discussion will be renewed in the spring."

"Until the spring," Kagome agreed as she ushered him from her home.

"You will have to remove those other nuisances on your own, Higurashi-_san_," Sesshoumaru quietly informed her. It took a moment for her to catch the wry amusement glinting in his eye before she smiled slyly at him.

"At least I have the more possible task between the two of us," Kagome grinned mischievously. "Inuyasha-_san_ can be an immovable rock."

"Only if one worries about preventing injury, This Sesshoumaru has no such cares," he returned before disappearing beyond the wall and Kagome chuckled.

Turning, the sudden cessation of spiritual noise caused her to pause. Inuyasha's disturbance was gone. The tugging on her attention had stopped. Sesshoumaru was true to his word and apparently worked very fast. Kagome sighed in relief. Maybe now her headache could go away.

It wouldn't last. Inuyasha knew where she was now and he clearly refused to believe they had no relationship. She scoffed to herself. While his belief didn't alter reality, it did mean that he would be harassing her in any way he could find.

Her great uncle would calmly tell her to stop borrowing the troubles of tomorrow.

Yes, Inuyasha would likely find some way to harass her regardless of Sesshoumaru's efforts to protect her. She could not anticipate how. It wasn't happening right now and with how stretched her nerves already were, Kagome should relax while he was gone. The shrine was protected. Her charges were safely restricted to the grounds. She was capable of defending herself without causing the nuisance any harm.

Kagome breathed deep of the moist, damp air before stepping back into her quarters to face the quarreling _higuma_ and _kitsune_. The pair were wonderful and supportive so long as they weren't in the same room. Taking on the care and housing for Oki-_chan_ and Naoki-_kun_ hazed her future full of squabbling meetings between the two _youkai_ whose differing opinions on how to care for her charges weren't precisely at odds, but fuel for petty belittling by the one who didn't think of one thing or another.

Ryoichi's gift of meat was helpful. The kits needed more protein to help them regain a healthy weight and muscle mass. Natsuo was also right in that the _shimarisu_ needed more than just meat to regain their health. Weight and muscle were just one aspect of the pair's unhealthy state. Neither _youkai_ were wrong, but instead of accepting what each offered gracefully, the _kitsune_ and _higuma_ chose to compete instead.

Kagome sighed wearily before carefully clearing her features of any expression beyond a sober calm. It was easier to achieve now that Inuyasha's childish tugging had ceased. Dividing her attention was never a good tactic when trying to handle Ryoichi and Natsuo together. Her tact eroded and her patience frayed quickly with irritation at her obvious seeming subpar ability to properly multitask. Mattaki had always assured her she wasn't any worse at covering more than one task at a time than anyone else, but Kagome found it difficult to accept that assessment.

Kagome quietly reentered her quarters to find the elder _youkai_ once again arguing over petty things of little consequence. Oki's brown eyes bounced back and forth between the two as if watching a tennis match. Words were flung rapid fire across the low table as the elder pair accused each other of inappropriate behavior in front of the now absent Sesshoumaru. Natsuo belittled Ryoichi's intelligence while the old black bear degraded the fox's ancestry.

Naoki, bless his valiant heart, focused his attention on the swiftly changing surface of his coloring book. His ears twitched at the continuing verbal melee but he tried to pretend he wasn't paying any attention to the bad behavior of those around him.

Kagome rather thought the conflict frightened both the little chipmunks. Her shrine was meant to be a place of peace and while the arguing was generally harmless, Oki and Naoki were not used to it in the least bit. Their nerves were frazzled perhaps more than her own and the continued dissent was unlikely to relieve any of them any time soon.

"If you both are quite finished with your petty display," Kagome cut in as she resettled herself on the side both of her charges were seated at, "we might perhaps come up with a better plan of how to promote the increased health of my guests before driving them both into a mental break down."

"Sorry, Higurashi-_san_," Ryoichi quietly apologized. "Has Sesshoumaru-_daijin_-_sama_ successfully departed?"

"Sesshoumaru-_dono_ has removed from the premises and taken the southern _daijin_ with him," Kagome replied. "He has left Oki-_chan_ and Naoki-_kun_ to our care and I hope any return visit will find them much improved in health and mental well-being."

"Naturally," Fujimoto nodded gravely.

"To that end," Kagome continued quickly before either could express an opinion that could be criticized or contradicted needlessly by the other, "I believe we should set up tasks to be covered by specific individuals to handle." If neither had jurisdiction over the task another carried out, they would have little reason to concern themselves with how it was done. She hoped. Sometimes the cross interests were unavoidable. "Ryoichi-_chiji_-_san_, since you have already taken the task upon yourself, I will ask you to continue supplying the necessary meat. Young creatures of all species generally require protein to grow healthy and strong. We should have a schedule of delivery for say, once a week? This way you can keep a steady eye on their progress to report back to Sesshoumaru-_dono_ should he ask about it before spring." The _higuma_ nodded sagely. "This will also allow you time to properly carry out your other duties without too much hardship."

"What hardsh-"

"Fujimoto Natsuo-_san_," Kagome talked over the needless interruption. "As you and your family live in town and have more easy access to the shrine, you will help me keep a proper eye on my charges. I want them to be healthy, but I do not have intimate knowledge of what that requires. I hope you can be helpful in developing a nutritious diet for them and I hope some of your clan's kits can be induced to make friends and play with Oki-_chan_ and Naoki-_kun_. The job of children is to grow in myriad of ways and learn how to interact with others. They cannot do this with no one else around. Staying secretly on my shrine will limit who they can spend time with and I do not want them to feel like prisoners. They are not strong now, so quiet pursuits like coloring and board games are enough to entertain them. When they grow stronger, they will need more active amusements to help build up their muscles and senses."

"Moto and Yui expressed eagerness to come back up here and the other small kits have caught their enthusiasm as well. It shouldn't be a problem to find willing companions even if novelty is the only draw," Natsuo replied. "And meals should be easy as well. The _shimarisu _are similar to humans in their dietary needs though adolescents do need more protein," the _kitsune_ admitted. "Tasuke is most eager to come up here again. I think he will apply for the part time position in the spring when he is apparently of an age to do so."

Kagome smiled, "Then he will be welcome and duly considered when his application comes through." She was starting to wonder if the problem finding a suitable assistant among the young people in _Nishi no Mura_ was due to the lack of _youkai_ applicants. The humans in town lacked compassion for the _youkai_ who shared the world because they had never lived in a time when conflict between species was rampant. _Youkai_ had no problem understanding the shrine purpose as their lives were intimately impacted by them every day. Humans in small towns assumed _youkai_ were either a city problem or relegated just to the woods and wilderness around them. It was always obvious who the country bumpkins were in the city. They were the ones looking around and staring too much at the _youkai_ wandering around. In Tokyo it was a rainy day past time to sit at the train station and try to pick out the small town folks from city natives.

"He will be most appreciative of your fair consideration," the _kitsune_ smiled with mischievous delight. "Until then he will likely be our biggest help arranging a proper plan of care for our long term guests."

Kagome nodded her acceptance as Oki climbed into her lap with her completed work of art. Naoki followed shortly after, leaning against her arm in lieu of her occupied lap. "Such a wonderful job!" she praised the kits enthusiastically. There was no need to hash out a more detailed plan of action just yet. Doing so would prove pointless now.


	3. Chapter 3

See notes in First Chapter.

**III**

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed at the clean bland steps that lead up into the Sunset Shrine in Tokyo. He shouldn't have to approach the shrine so early in his investigative efforts. Shrines were not repositories for official documents and records.

Hearing that his younger sibling had attacked someone hadn't surprised him. Inuyasha was always undisciplined and regularly exhibited reckless, wild behavior unseemly for a _youkai_ participating in government. Sesshoumaru's disdain for the _hanyou_ brat had only heightened with the younger _inu_'s increasing age. As the beleaguered ex-girlfriend of his half brother had stated, it was inexcusable for someone capable of so much damage to throw a fit because he didn't get his way. Sesshoumaru had long witnessed Inuyasha's violent reactions to any situation that didn't progress the way he wanted. Disappointment and frustration were the brat's greatest triggers.

No, Sesshoumaru hadn't been surprised that the female had received damage at his half brother's hands. The surprise had been that the woman pursued legal recourse to address it. He had never heard his father make a single complaint about it, whether to resolve the charges through litigation or to punish Inuyasha's foolishness out of the public eye. Masashi may coddle his younger son, but Sesshoumaru was certain this type of behavior would induce the _inu_ _omo_ to hand down **some** punishment.

His curiosity had induced him to look into what had happened with the report Higurashi Kagome had filed with both the police and _youkai_ enforcers. Sesshoumaru's inquiry should have been answered easily with a single visit to the _youkai _enforcement agency. Records showed a complaint was made and a formal investigation conducted around the time of the woman's injury. The files had then disappeared for all that anyone could find them. There wasn't even a document itemizing what had been collected and should be in the missing files.

More infuriating than the incompetency of the first agency was the seeming proof of mutual collusion when the file regarding her human police report also came up missing. Both agencies had no reason to cover for the other and even less reason to cover for a _hanyou_. At least, that was Sesshoumaru's opinion. He'd been at a dead end until one of the human officers had covertly communicated to him that there **was** a copy off site where he would likely find it.

The Higurashi family were more versed in the politics of law enforcement than Sesshoumaru seemed to be, because they held the only copy in existence now. They were civilians. They were a shrine family who should not be required to enforce governmental laws. Their place was to be negotiators and peace keepers.

He could admit that knowing how some _youkai_ behaved made for better communication and understanding, but this wasn't in the public record. They should not have better record keeping skills than the organizations employed to do it for all of society. Sesshoumaru let loose a sub-vocal growl. There was so much wrong with how Higurashi Kagome's attack had been handled. It went against everything he knew about honor, integrity, and his government. Justice should not be excluded from reaching the very top of society. Allowing this travesty to exist shook the confidence of all who rely on the current peace.

Sesshoumaru would get to the bottom of this. He would see how far up the rot went and he would fix it.

First step, to find the damn file that addressed Higurashi Kagome's attack.

One booted foot rose to settle on the low stone firmly planted at the foot of the Sunset shrine. The first of many.

Sesshoumaru's senses lit up with the awareness of the _Seishin-tekina shouheki _registering his presence. It always made him tense as memories flooded his mind. He remembered when the barrier didn't just announce his presence, but burned and repelled him as well. Sesshoumaru remembered the time when the announcement to the shrine keeper brought an onslaught of holy arrows raining down on his head.

He continued up the stair. Memory could assault his mind, but it would not stall his progress. Sesshoumaru did not live by the past so that it obscured the present. He learned from all that had come before so that he might survive the now.

Eventually the tall _inu_ made it to the last _torii_ to be greeted with the sights of the shrine and its caretakers waiting for him.

"Sesshoumaru-_dono_," the old priest greeted him respectfully.

"Sesshoumaru-_sama_," the woman who bore a resemblance to the reason for his search bowed lower and greeted even more respectfully.

She was obviously not born to the shrine family and had married into it instead. It wasn't hard to tell. Shrine families offered equal respect to all who visited. Government officials received a slightly higher level of respect based on service rather than species. If a human governor appeared, the address would be the same. Adopted shrine family, through marriage or other means, were generally overly respectful to _youkai _officials.

"Hn," Sesshoumaru acknowledged the greeting, golden eyes measuring the pair of humans before him.

"This old one wonders what matter of great importance could bring the attention of the great Masashi_'_s eldest to our little shrine," the old man continued. "We are but a humble _shinto_ shrine among many in our fair city. We offer little to draw _youkai_ to our grounds."

Sesshoumaru nodded in agreement. _Youkai_ did not have much need for ritual or religion. _Shinto_ was respected because the old ways respected _youkai_ and always had. It hadn't always been a peaceful respect, but no shrine had ever underestimated or denigrated a species of _youkai_ either.

"_Ji_-_chan!_" the woman sounded scandalized by the old man's sly prying.

"This Sesshoumaru is seeking a report concerning the attack and injury of one Higurashi Kagome," he declared bluntly. "It was suggested a copy might be found here."

"That is an old problem," the priest observed. "Some would say the time for resolution is long past."

"Justice can never expire," Sesshoumaru returned shortly.

"The complaint never should have been made," Kagome's mother asserted. "I was against it. Inuyasha didn't mean to hurt her so badly-"

Narrow golden eyes pierced the woman's words. "Perhaps," Sesshoumaru dismissed the notion. "If Inuyasha were a toddler and unaware of his own strength, it would be excusable. But Inuyasha is far beyond childhood and his intentions did not keep him from causing the injury. Children learn what behavior is acceptable through consequences. Adults who act out in unacceptable ways require sterner punishment to learn the same lessons."

"If she had just - " the woman tried to protest.

"What is it you think Kagome could have done to prevent Inuyasha's fit?" the old man demanded. "He dumped her. She was with her study group in a public place. She was unaware he was present until the boy snatched her wrist and dragged her away from her friends." The priest was beginning to turn red in anger. "Inuyasha put your daughter in the hospital because she wasn't depressed enough from his deplorable behavior for his tastes."

"He would have come back to her," the mother insisted. "Inuyasha loved her."

"Not enough to forgo all other females," Sesshoumaru cut into their argument. "one would think a mother would want more for her honorable daughter than to reduce her to a place as a _hanyou_'s mistress."

"Kagome certainly did," the gruff man added. "Face it Akina, Inuyasha wasn't the catch you thought he was."

"Inuyasha wouldn't have done that to Kagome," Higurashi Akina insisted. "He just needs to outgrow - "

"His personality?" The priest interjected. "His belief that he can act however he wants? The only way to out grow that is to have it shoved down his throat."

"You and Kagome were always too hard on that boy," Akina sounded annoyed by her father-in-law's refusal to accept her judgment. "He's simply young."

"He's older than me," the grandfather informed her abruptly. "Inuyasha was born before my father's father."

"Higurashi Genkei, you -"

"Indeed," Sesshoumaru agreed. "That one is fully matured." Else Inuyasha would not be so very sexually active and hunting down prospective mates. "This Sesshoumaru fully agrees with the younger Higurashi female and her grandfather in this case. Inuyasha should face full punishment for this incident and it will be brought up with this one's father. Provided the file can be produced."

Higurashi Akina's mouth hung open in shock before her jaw snapped closed and she angrily walked away. Clearly she hadn't expected real opposition of her opinion from Inuyasha's own family. Sesshoumaru wasn't surprised by her opinion though he didn't agree. His father often tried to excuse Inuyasha's behavior and blame a multitude of other sources. It didn't even surprise him that it was the victim's mother espousing such an opinion. Many women saw the sons of Masashi as great catches and coached their daughters to allow far too much to slide. Sesshoumaru chose to ignore the females thrown at him. Alternatively, Inuyasha took advantage of everything girls were willing to give up in hope of something permanent.

It wasn't old-fashioned to worry more about financial stability in marriage than connubial bliss. There were still some families that followed the traditional ways of arranging marriages for their children rather than allowing them to choose.

"Kagome didn't send you," Genkei declared firmly, conviction shining in his gaze. The old man stared up at the tall _youkai_ intently, his rough, scarred hands clasped behind his back.

"Hn," Sesshoumaru studied the bent figure of the priest in return.

"She wouldn't try to reopen this wound," Genkei continued, certain of his granddaughter's views. "Inuyasha found her, didn't he?"

"Indeed," Sesshoumaru held very still. Sometimes the greatest pieces of information could be harvested from the moments when people were allowed to ramble in the silence.

"Even still Kagome wouldn't want to go down this road," the words slid into the relative quiet of the shrine grounds. A pair of high school students pulled the bell and clapped their hands before bowing their heads towards the _haiden_. An elementary aged student struggled to return the dipper to its assigned place after rinsing her hands. The sun drenched the scene in watery winter light as a chill breeze rustled through branches over head and along the shrine edges. "You asked her about their relationship," the old man concluded.

"Hn," Sesshoumaru could allow the supposition. It was a valid conclusion as the female being discussed had been reluctant to impart the information. "Is the file here?"

"Indeed it is," the old man nodded. "It occurs to me to wonder how you came by the information that it was. Only the shrine families were informed so that we would know how to handle the volatile second son of the great Masashi. To know how far the boy will act out is valuable information ."

"This one visited the police station," Sesshoumaru felt comfortable divulging the information. It wouldn't be hard to find that out. The gossip mongers and celebrity stalkers were fond of following every member of his family. He could not escape them in the city or even much of the rest of the country. Not that Sesshoumaru often attempted to move in secret.

"Ah," the old man nodded his understanding. "Miroku." The elderly priest shuffled his feet to turn and lead the way deeper into the shrine environs. "Tanaka Miroku is the younger son of a prolific shrine family. There are not so many shrines as respectable caretakers in need of a place. Many of our younger heirs choose other careers rather than compete for the shrines that come up without family to inherit a position. That one chose law enforcement and uses his Buddhist _houriki _training to assist in calming victims to help ensure coherent reports and accurate testimony. He was exceptionally helpful in Kagome's time of need."

"Explain." Sesshoumaru demanded as he followed Genkei's bent figure.

"They weren't going to do an investigation of any kind," the priest informed him shortly. "They filled out the forms and promptly tossed them in the closed pile. We collected all the evidence. We canvased for witnesses of the situation. We were the ones to procure the security footage from the establishment every thing took place at. Miroku handled our every effort to insure it was unbiased and indisputably official. He was also the one to handle our interviews with the _youkai_ enforcers."

Sesshoumaru waited as the old man pulled a portable DVD player from a small cabinet inside the door of the caretaker's house before stepping back outside and heading slowly towards an outlier building used for storage. "How did you know the official agencies could not be trusted?" the _inu_ demanded gently. He wasn't certain he wanted to know. Surely this was an isolated problem, something that didn't crop up routinely and was widely accepted as reality.

"We didn't, though Kagome suspected her complaint wouldn't lead to much," the grandfather replied just as quietly. "She had no plans to stay in the city once her doctor diagnosed the nerve damage was permanent. It ended her dreams of the future and the risk of encountering Inuyasha again wasn't worth it if she couldn't finish school." The old man sighed before letting them both into the claustrophobic confines of the storage room.

Sun lanced the darkness wherever cracks in the walls provided enough room for entry. Dust piled up in corners and atop boxes that rested against the walls or on shelves. Most everything was bleached a dirty tan color. Neglect stained everything with the exception of a single file box next to the door.

"You don't mind if we keep the box in here," the Higurashi patriarch bent to pick the mostly white box off the floor. "Akina doesn't know where it is and I move it regularly to keep it that way." Sesshoumaru didn't comment on the domestic subterfuge the old man perpetuated against his housemate. Family was complicated whatever the species. It was worse when it wasn't so homogeneous. With a hanyou brother, Sesshoumaru knew this very well. He also didn't care that the Higurashi family was divided in its secrets. Sesshoumaru didn't tell his family everything he did either.

The old man finally popped the lid off the box to reveal a lot more than the single file Sesshoumaru was expecting. "We documented everything we could in case anyone tried to dispute it. Nothing like specifics to support the truth," the priest declared smugly.

Sesshoumaru wondered **how** the police and _youkai_ enforcers could have misplaced such a massive file. "As this is all outside the chain of custody, one could argue the evidence has been compromised," the taller male pointed out. He was curious as to what could be raised to counter that truth.

"This is merely an official copy," Kagome's grandfather craftily replied. "But it does contain contact information for all the witnesses. Copies of the security footage as well as information on where to find the originals. Copies of medical files along with the necessary release forms to have the originals copied again. The depositions were presided over by legally certified personnel who kept the originals and made copies for the police files and us."

In other words, the original file could be reassembled from scratch if necessary. "Your Tanaka Miroku is very meticulous," Sesshoumaru allowed. "Or was it your granddaughter who insisted on being so thorough, Higurashi-_san_?"

"Call me Genkei," the old man settled the DVD player on top of a handy shelf kept clear of debris. "If you run this case down as your reputation suggests, you will be practically family, Sesshoumaru-_dono_."

"As you will, Genkei-_san_," Sesshoumaru replied stiffly. It was not often he was invited to drop formalities with humans. _Youkai_ of significance did not have the dual names most humans did and most were considered under Sesshoumaru in rank and therefore were so far beneath his rule as to make friendship inadvisable or so close in rank as to make their overtures of friendship suspicious. Humans existed in faceless masses for the most part. It was easier to keep track of family names as most held a singular scent note along bloodlines that he could remember. He rarely spent enough time around individual humans to affix their individual scent mixtures to memory. They hardly lived long enough to make it worth his while.

Shrine families tended to live longer but still far shorter than any _youkai_.

Sesshoumaru began sifting through the contents of the box until he found a paper file. Flipping it open, he found pictures of Kagome's injuries. It was worse than she had told him. Forty two stitches were required to seal the wounds dug into her wrists initially. Two separate surgeries were performed in hopes of correcting the nerve damage. The skin of her face had swelled up and broken along her cheek in line with her bloodied ear. The damage to the soft tissue was extensive. He hadn't even looked at the medical files yet.

He found her transcripts to Tokyo Medical University. She'd been an exemplary student working through her fourth year. She would have needed two more years before she could take the government licensing exam and start her rounds and residency. Higurashi Kagome was aiming to be a trauma surgeon.

The nerve damage and tremors in her hand ended any chance of achieving that eventual goal. Inuyasha had stolen her future. Sesshoumaru closed his eyes as proof of the great dishonor brought down on his family mounted.

Amber eyes reopened and hardened with determination. He would know the full extent of the damage his family had caused Higurashi Kagome. Justice would be meted out and reparations would be made.

"It's a lot to take in," Genkei observed, pointedly refusing to look at the pictures filed at the beginning of the report.

"You are not required to observe this Sesshoumaru," the _inu_ offered the old man a more comfortable option for spending his time. "You are obviously quite familiar with the contents."

Genkei stiffened and narrowed his brown eyes, achieving a squint only humans who have seen most of their allotted decades can produce. Sesshoumaru received the impression he was being weighed and measured. "That file is the only official copy left," the priest finally pointed out. "We didn't expect the authorities of **two** species to lose everything concerning the incident, but they did. We only kept a copy so that if someone else found themselves in a similar situation they could use the previous report to add weight to their case."

Such was very likely given Inuyasha's continued selfishness and immaturity and Sesshoumaru really couldn't blame Higurashi Genkei for insuring the continued integrity of the box and it's contents. There was no doubt viewing any part of the file was emotionally distressing for the old man, but Genkei was made of stern stuff. The trust between granddaughter and grandparent was strong enough to keep him in the store room and watching as Sesshoumaru went through it. It was hard to take insult at the slight to his own integrity. For those who had proof of a conscious breach of trust in the agencies charged with pursuing justice, it was hard to accept an individual could be more trustworthy.

Sesshoumaru wondered if Inuyasha had seen first hand what damage he had wrought. Surely, the _hanyou_ would be able to accept why Kagome wanted nothing to do with him if he had. The _inu youkai_ shook his head as he remembered that sometimes the abusers continued long term relationships with the ones they abused. Such callousness to injury was far too common.

Flipping through the pages he read the specifics of location, date, time of ambulance pickup, the duration Kagome spent bleeding out until she was assessed and stitched up. He read how long it took for her to wake up, what visitors she had in hospital, how long each one stayed and how they were received. There were transcripts for every interview and there were several. All of Kagome's companions had been questioned. Their waitstaff, the business owner, the bus boy, and Inuyasha's companion had all given statements. The medical staff and EMTs were all contacted, twice. Every possible witness had been run down and their words carefully typed out as a script for the videos burned onto disc.

The security footage captured every minute, every second of the incident from when Inuyasha grabbed his ex-girlfriend to when he back handed her in the ally and left her on the ground. In all, there were only eight seconds when the puppy eared misanthrope wasn't caught by the cameras. The reasons for such tight security were given also, upholding the integrity of the bar owner and his staff.

The medical records gave more details on the damage suffered. There were the obvious wounds, blood loss and the nerve damage, but there was also strained muscles, a minor concussion, and emotional trauma. She'd refused pain killers until they could determine the state of her hand. The police were called to Kagome's room to ask questions. They did nothing. Tanaka Miroku contacted the _youkai_ enforcement officers who also did nothing.

Sesshoumaru snarled at the paperwork. The only thing they did right by Higurashi Kagome was accepting that it happened and that it wasn't her fault. This was wrong. This went against everything Sesshoumaru's instincts and sensibilities insisted should have happened.

The report **should **have been looked into regardless of who had brought it to the authorities or who it was made against. Inuyasha was not above the laws of either species because he was Masashi's youngest son. If this had happened in Sesshoumaru's territory, it would have been investigated thoroughly. Perhaps not as thoroughly as this file had been, but his enforcers wouldn't have been required to work against a system inclined to sweep the case under a rug. If anyone involved was as high profile as Inuyasha, the case would have been brought to Sesshoumaru's personal attention to head off media speculation and vilification of either the victim or the aggressor.

Hours passed as he delved deeper into the file. Genkei stood leaning against the wall as the sun slanted further across the floor refusing to give in to the fatigue his age threw over him around mid afternoon. Ultimately the aged human lost the battle and dozed against the wooden wall. Sesshoumaru became aware of the passing time after a soft snore broke into his thoughts.

The _inu_'s amber eyes softened at the image of human frailty overtaking stubborn loyalty. A sharp knock sounded against the door to the outside and Sesshoumaru rose swiftly to answer it before the priest could wake.

"I brought some tea," Higurashi Akina lifted a thermos into his line of sight. "The store room is dusty."

"Hn," Sesshoumaru acknowledged before dismissing her presence and turning back to the papers neatly set out beside the open box.

"You've been here for hours," Akina pointed out. "Surely you've satisfied your curiosity enough to drop this whole thing."

"Curiosity?" Sesshoumaru questioned. "Injustice is not the draw of mere curiosity," his tone was flat and his features stoic, but inside his instincts raged at this woman and a world that would ignore the truth of this situation. "Inuyasha should be held accountable for his behavior."

"He was just angry!" Akina protested. "Kagome was acting like the relationship meant less than her classes!"

"The relationship had ended and was not of long duration to start with. It was ended because Inuyasha failed to understand monogamy is the common practice of humans," Sesshoumaru returned. "Higurashi Kagome has already indicated she would have dumped **him** upon learning Inuyasha was in a relationship with someone else at the same time." Sesshoumaru could respect that. As the female had said, the pair obviously failed to hold the same values and principles on very important issues. Such usually spelled disaster for any intimate relationship.

"She's just bitter," Akina insisted. "If she'd given him a real effort to make it work, Inuyasha wouldn't have needed to find someone else."

"Hn," Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at the woman. Now he knew why Kagome hadn't felt safe at home. He knew why the mother had refused to bar Inuyasha from the shrine her daughter had called home and looked to for safe refuge and comfort. "Inuyasha was aware she was a dedicated student at the time the relationship began."

Akina rolled her eyes. "She was wasting her time. It would have been better for Kagome to cultivate what Inuyasha offered her instead." Clearly the woman never believed Kagome would succeed in her efforts to become a surgeon. Sesshoumaru found it difficult to believe that the female hidden up north could have come from such a person.

"Hn, this Sesshoumaru understands what you say," and he did. There were many women who attended higher education to catch more affluent husbands. He doubted that was Kagome's aim, but her mother's goals were clearly not the same.

"You never did support her enough," Genkei broke in, voice gruff with his struggle to shed the sands of sleep. "Kagome went to school to achieve her dream, not to catch a rich husband."

"I think I know my daughter better than you," Akina scoffed. And there it was. A parent who had superimposed her own views and ambitions on her child. "Kagome would have outgrown that childish dream and woken to reality sooner if you hadn't encouraged her so much."

"I wanted her to inherit the shrine," Genkei declared hotly. "That much _reiki_ was meant to protect a shrine and promote peace between peoples. **She** wanted to be a surgeon since her father died, Akina. Surely even you knew that much. Kagome's dream was to be a surgeon and save some other child's father. It was what drove her. She wanted to be something this country needs more than another scheming housewife or run of the mill shrine keeper."

"Damn that criminal," Akina's voice shook. "Damn your refusal to let it go. And Damn Kagome for being so stuck on that one event. He was my husband and I had to watch him die."

"He was her father and she watched him die too," Genkei shook his head sadly. "He was my son and I lost him as well. Your pain is not more than mine or hers. At least Kagome turned it into something positive instead of trying to force everyone around her into the mold of what you believed was normal."

Sesshoumaru sat silently through their family drama, learning more about where Higurashi Kagome had come from than the file had so far given him. Every family dynamic had its hidden faults. Trauma caused the most erratic behaviors and often changed people forever. Sesshoumaru didn't know what event the arguing pair spoke of beyond the fact that one event had cost them a family member and jarred all their lives onto different tracks.

Then another traumatic event jarred them again.

"Well you got your wish!" Akina huffed. "She's a shrine keeper like you wanted!"

"It's not what **she** wanted!" Genkei growled. "Kagome wanted to be a surgeon! Inuyasha stole that, and then he harassed her into leaving us altogether."

"He wasn't harassing her, he was trying to apologize. Kagome was just too stubborn to listen," Akina insisted.

"This Sesshoumaru doubts very much that Inuyasha was trying to apologize to anyone about anything," the _inu_ scoffed. Inuyasha wasn't capable of admitting his own errors let alone acknowledging it to anyone else.

"And it's very unlikely he dumped the other girl considering Inuyasha is **still** dating her even now," Genkei added. "It was harassment, the type stalkers perpetuate against ex girlfriends."

"You're impossible!" Akina threw the thermos of tea into the shed and spun around to walk away. The canister knocked into a stack of boxes throwing up a cloud of dust as the stack creaked and swayed, threatening to topple over.

Sesshoumaru caught the bulk of stored artifacts and prevented it from falling. The thermos landed on the floor with a noisy clatter before rolling to stop against Genkei's foot. "She wasn't always like that," the old man commented quietly. "She used to be so accepting and tolerant. Then the terrorist strikes happened a block over when Kagome was six and...They used the shrine to stage their triage. Kamin was one of the first injured people brought here after the first explosion but before the second and third. He'd gone to the market to pick up some things for dinner. Akina was pregnant, just barely but it was certain. Kagome used to follow me around asking all kinds of questions." The old man lapsed into quiet nostalgia. "We were happy and it all disappeared." Genkei didn't delve into who the terrorist was or the why behind the attack. It didn't really matter. Whether it was a political agenda or a single deranged individual didn't matter. People were hurt.

"The first three victims were set out in front of the _haiden_. The streets were closed down. Ambulances came in and out through the back drive way. They set up a surgery unit under a tent. Kamin, a teenager and a ten year old boy were the first to arrive. A trauma surgeon came in and promptly set to making the tough choices," Genkei's eyes were weak as he blinked in the dusty light. "The ten year old had a single shrapnel wound. The teenager had a punctured lung and Kamin...Kamin had so many holes in him it was hard to tell what color his skin used to be." He sighed and hunched down slightly, clutching his arms tight against himself as if suddenly cold. "Akina held him in her arms, begging him to hold on. Kagome just stood there solemnly at her side and watched things. Watched as the doctors took care of the teenager and the ten year old. Watched as newly arrived victims were looked to before her father who struggled to gasp in every breath."

The priest smiled ruefully, "Finally she asked the question. Our Kagome asked why her father hadn't been taken to be fixed. A nurse told her that there were only so many surgeons and that one complicated surgery would require more time than two other patients had to live." Sesshoumaru's nodded as he turned back to the box. He well remembered the round of terrorist attacks on Tokyo nearly two decades ago. He recalled the casualty counts his father had not reacted well to. Masashi had been furious that someone had dared to bomb any part of his territory. The lives lost were important to remember.

"Kagome learned the parts of triage that weren't explained to her that day as she got older, but I don't think she ever gave up that first simple and blunt explanation," Genkei sighed.

"It wasn't wrong," Sesshoumaru shrugged. Surgeons were in high demand because there was a serious shortage of them in Japan. There weren't many who were both smart and diligent enough to succeed in that area who were also willing to sacrifice so much of their personal lives.

"No, but it was simplistic," Genkei smiled wearily. "Akina's changes weren't immediately apparent then. She was sad for a long time, we all were. Kagome's sudden onset ambition was easy to humor as she was still very young and most kids change their goals from one week to the next. It's actually rather admirable how steadfast she was."

"Hn," Sesshoumaru pondered the sentiment. He wasn't so sure that Kagome's ambition was any more estimable for being adopted so young or if she was just incredibly stubborn and unwilling to consider any other options.

"The tremors that started as a result of her injuries put an end to that," Kagome's grandfather sighed.

"Could she not have continued her medical training to become a general practitioner instead of a surgeon?" Sesshoumaru inquired evenly.

Genkei shook his head. "Wasn't there a log of all the contact Kagome had in the hospital? Inuyasha was refused access to her room, but that didn't stop him from constantly calling. There was also a copy of her cell phone records too. We left her in the hospital as long as they would let us because we knew there would be no rest once she was out." The old man shifted his gaze to stare back into the darker areas of the shed. "Akina wouldn't let us bar Inuyasha from the shrine for Kagome's protection."

"That one has no _reiki_ to speak of how could she prevent it if you and your granddaughter **did** block the hanyou from the grounds?" Sesshoumaru felt the need to ask. He didn't really care, but it did seem the most simple solution. His father was always encouraging Sesshoumaru to learn more about human thought processes and motivations. Governing _youkai_ occasionally required negotiating with disgruntled humans. Normally negotiations went through shrine families. Therefore, learning why the decision to block Inuyasha from a shrine he wasn't welcome in hadn't been made despite minor dissent was helpful.

"Kagome insisted it went against the shrine practices," Genkei answered. "Respect is meant for everyone at the shrine, including mothers who can't seem to respect and support the decisions of her children." The old man sighed. "Kagome wasn't safe here. If she went to another medical school in Japan, she would easily be found by Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru agreed with that logic. There were only so many certified medical programs in the country. Even if Higurashi Kagome went to a school in Sesshoumaru's territory, it wouldn't have protected her from Inuyasha's harassment. "Besides, her dreams of being a surgeon were over. Being a regular doctor would be torture when she came up against situations where a surgeon would be needed..." the priest trailed off.

Genkei didn't need to explain further. Sesshoumaru knew what it was like to be confronted with a situation he wasn't allowed to handle himself. He knew what his legal limits were and often they chaffed. It wasn't difficult to extrapolate from there what it would feel like to be faced with a situation he could have dealt with if not for the intervention of others.

"So the shrine?" Sesshoumaru prompted.

"Kagome had already taken classes at the Shrine school when she began to exhibit her _reiki_ as an adolescent," Genkei explained. "She grew up on a shrine and I had family up north in need of an heir for his shrine. The location was ideal because Masashi had already confirmed the south was going to Inuyasha and it is well known in Shrine circles that you do not particularly tolerate your younger sibling's interference in your territories." The thermos of tea was set beside the DVD player without being opened. "It put her as far out of Inuyasha's reach as we could get without making it obvious." Trying to leave the country legally as a member of a shrine family and a powerful _reiki_ user, Kagome's movements would have been tracked and announced to the ruling _youkai_. Inevitably, Inuyasha would have known where Kagome had gone.

The Higurashi had used the cloak of Sesshoumaru's name. They hadn't asked for his protection, which he wouldn't have offered, and they didn't impose on his rule. Kagome had desired anonymity from Inuyasha and achieved it for almost a decade. If not for her saving the _shimarisu_ siblings, Inuyasha would never have looked to the north and never have found her. Kagome knew this and did her duty anyway.

Sesshoumaru found new respect for the female who had offered his charges succor. She risked more than he'd taken into account to do what she felt was right. In return he would insure she received real justice for what Inuyasha had done to her.


	4. Chapter 4

See notes in First Chapter.

**IV**

Kagome carefully stepped across the snowy ground of the shrine, working her way around the perimeter to douse the shrine lamps. Darkness had fully set in making their light necessary for safety, but the last of her volunteers had left over twenty minutes ago. The last patron had departed an hour before that as the volunteers had stayed on to help clean up after the busy day of visitors.

New year was the shrine's busiest time during the winter and the most exhausting event for Kagome. She worked diligently to take care of her expected roles, directing the volunteers to distributing warm _amazake_ and the associated talismans the locals came to the shine for in pursuit of luck and good fortune for the coming year. Today had been the first and it had been long after a night of limited sleep.

Last night she'd been required to stay up and ring the bells the correct number of times around midnight. This morning she'd been up before dawn to meet the first wave of volunteers helping to ready stations installed to handle the excessive influx of patrons. The flow of visitors had been heavy and constant all day, even after the sun had gone down and she felt the depletion of energy down to her bones.

The worst of it all was that she still had some things to do before she could seek out her bed. There were tasks to complete she hadn't felt comfortable asking her shrunken volunteer force to help her with.

Every year since her uncle Mattaki's death, the number of townspeople willing to come up here for any of the shrine events slowly grew smaller. Their loyalty to him and the shrine he ran was fading and Kagome wasn't inspiring the same dedication as he had.

She sighed and shook the discouraging thoughts from her mind. Fluctuating dedication plagued shrines larger and more popular than this one. Kagome shouldn't take it as a personal failure. But...

Being the only Shrine official kind of did make it Kagome's personal failing when interests and involvement flagged. Taking a slow, deep breath Kagome consciously altered her train of thought. Placing blame and lamenting the current situation wasn't constructive. She needed to brainstorm solutions, ways to boost interest in the shrine somehow. Sometimes brainstorming really was the hard part.

As long as there had been shrines, there had been a need for support from the local community. Strategizing ways to renew public appeal was a continuing task. One that did not often produce the same results upon applying previous tactics. People were fickle with short attention spans.

Kagome bent to carefully douse the light contained in the first stone lantern on the grounds. Her shrine contained four large stone lanterns at the corners with two beside the _haiden_ that guarded the inner spaces of the shrine proper. Another pair of lanterns were integrated in the base of the _shishi_ guardians at the entrance just past the last _torii_ gate. In wealthier shrines in more populated areas, the lanterns would be left lit until after the third day of the new year.

This shrine couldn't afford the fuel to do that. If she allowed the flames to gutter out on their own, she would have to clean the screens that guard the light on top of refueling and relighting them for the three days of the new year rites. _Hatsumode_ was practically the only time of year Kagome could swear the town's population swelled to almost three times it's regular winter population. Young adults that left for schools and work in more profitable areas always seemed to return to begin their year with family here. Families that never bothered with the shrine the rest of the year would come out to buy _omikuji_ from the volunteers selling them while partaking of the offered warmed _amazake_ to stave off the chill and have something warm to carry home.

She didn't offer sacred arrows popular at other shrines. This little shrine didn't have the means nor did it seem particularly cost effective when Kagome so rarely drew a crowd outside the summer months.

Carefully sliding back the shade plate, she put out the flame. Kagome savored the heat emitting from the warmed stone along her narrow, newly bared fingers. Darkness had drawn in the chill. Where the shrine had been cold enough during the entirety of the day to preserve last night's snow, the shadows blew a colder breath through her shrine clothing. She was wearing several layers, including a full set of thermal garments under the traditional robes of a shrine official. Still, Kagome had been outside since before the sun came up, the warmth was a nice reprieve from the unrelenting frigid temperatures that had cradled the world.

Experience had taught her to avoid actually touching the stone or the inside of the panels. The residual heat was enough to burn flesh acclimated to winter weather. Outsiders might advise her to wear gloves, like it was a simple solution. They don't understand that any gloves she wore would have to be fire retardant and dexterous, thin with a sure grip in order for her to successfully complete what Kagome needed to do. The lantern openings weren't terribly big. Uncle Mattaki had been grateful for Kagome's much smaller hands when it came to this task. His were lined with years of burns and scars just from this.

Last year she'd managed to get through nearly the whole three days with only one accidental burn. Kagome had yet to burn bad enough to blister, but her predecessor had told her it was only a matter of time. Age slowed reflexes and increased whatever shaking appeared in her hands. The old injury had birthed tremors and nerve damage enough to kill her career dreams. It also left her likely to collect burns in her current occupation.

Kagome breathed in slowly before letting the air out in the same pace. Regulating her breath often helped to stabilize her hands for this procedure. She needed it even more this evening because she was tired.

The flame went out slowly, reducing itself to mere glowing embers before ceasing to emit light at all. Assured the task was completed with the smallest amount of soot thrown up on the transparent sides, Kagome smiled and slid the panel closed to keep the snow out until tomorrow when she wiped the interior of the lantern out and loaded in the fuel. The stone was too hot to do it now.

She repeated the process with each lit lantern, moving to each of the outer ones before reaching the ones beside the _torii_ gate and the _shishi_ guardians. Kagome always saved the ones by the _haiden_ for last because she knew the paths around the building were clear of ice. Once the flames were out, she would be feeling her way to her quarters in back. It would be safer to do it where she knew the ice had been kept clear of the path. It wasn't every year that there was a full moon over the three days of new year. Even if there were, her night vision was only so good. Black ice was hard to spot even in daylight.

Kagome bowed respectfully to the _shishi_ before moving to douse the light. These lanterns were smaller and more likely to deal out burns than the larger ones for the lack of room to maneuver. As such, Kagome always added a request for protection against burns. Sometimes it worked, more often it didn't.

She turned to the second guardian and reached her hand into the small lit space just as disaster struck. A _youkai_ presence darted through the bounds of the _Seishin-tekina__ shouheki_ without warning. It startled her and she jumped, brushing her ungloved hand along the rough edges of the heated interior of the lantern. Kagome hissed abruptly as she dragged her hand out of the lantern faster than her feet could touch the ground again. Upon landing her heel slipped on a patch of ice sending her foot out from under her. The hard landing jarred her spine and both hands as they tried to soften the impact. This second pain drew her to shriek abruptly before she collected herself enough to shove her burning hand into the most convenient pile of snow.

Kagome's heart was pounding with an adrenaline rush. As the world caught up with her and she turned to her surprise guest, keeping her injured hand packed in the white snow. "Ha," she gulped and restarted her attempt to greet the _youkai _visitor. "Sesshoumaru-_dono,_ I wasn't expecting another visit until spring." Her voice strove for pleasant and polite though she feared it came out strained and short.

"Hn," the tall _youkai_ gazed down at her as she scraped more snow over her injured hand. "This Sesshoumaru had not intended to cause injury."

"I'll be fine," Kagome struggled to her feet without use of her hands as one held the snow over her burn. "You had a reason for appearing, Sesshoumaru-_dono_. Please let us focus on that. Is there a problem concerning Naoki and Oki remaining with me until spring?"

"It was not your charges this one has come to speak with you about," Sesshoumaru dismissed the topic as he carefully grasped her elbow and helped her back to her feet. "You were trying to put out the lantern?"

"Yes," Kagome answered as he stepped away from her. She turned to her guest only to find him blowing out the flame. "Don't!" The light went out in a curling puff of smoke. "Please Sesshoumaru-_dono_, leave this task to me." She struggled to keep complaints and explanations to herself. He was not someone in training to care for the shrine and he was not a friend. The _inu_ was a government official whatever the reason for his sudden appearance.

"Your way caused injury," Sesshoumaru pointed out.

"My way prevents excess soot from staining the inside of the glass screens," the protest escaped before she could think better of it. "The lanterns will be in near constant use for the next few days and the shrine will be very busy. There will be little time for cleaning," she explained to soften her complaint. Kagome lamented the outburst but bemoaned more the cut into her sleep time tonight. She would have to wake earlier than planned to scrub the flame residue from the inside surfaces of that one lantern.

"Surely you have staff," Sesshoumaru countered, as well he might. Shrines in the city had excess volunteers most years. Some even had paid attendants regularly, as in more than one. But this was not the city.

"The number of local volunteers has dropped since my predecessor passed on a few years back. I have no assistant which has been a boon for Oki-_chan_ and Naoki-_kun_, but has left the shrine in a shabbier state than I'd like. What volunteers I do have are already tasked as far as I'm comfortable with," she declared flatly. Then turned to the last two lanterns next to the shrine. The pair were as large as the ones posted at the four corners. With the snow melting over her benumbed hand, taking care of the last pair without further injury would be a challenge.

Taking a deep breath she moved to finish the chore trailing the ever observant _inu youkai_. "What was it you came to discuss?" Kagome asked. "Oki and Naoki still haven't spoken anything coherently, but I'm not certain if they had properly learned before they were left to their own devices. I talk to them often, hoping they will learn it the way that toddlers do, I read to them. I do not think it is something physically wrong with them like an injury."

"It is likely the trauma," Sesshoumaru suggested observing her struggle to use her injured hand. "The injury should not be irritated by further use."

"I am the only shrine official present," Kagome countered. "There is no one else to handle this task." People in Hokkaido learned to do things for themselves even when injured. If you didn't, then things that were necessary never got done. "Ryoichi had indicated there was reason for some serious emotional trauma in the last year." The _shimarisu_'s father had died several years ago from some accident, but their mother had only passed on the previous winter. Kagome had learned the pair were given into the custody of their aunt which had proven insufficient. The female's chances of finding a mate of her own whilst watching the young of someone else, even her own brother, diminished significantly. Especially when the first male that showed interest specifically refused to even dally with her unless she got rid of the hangers on. What the female didn't know, was that the same male had pursued Oki and Naoki's mother and blamed the helpless pair for her death.

Kagome shook her head. _Youkai _courting practices were occasionally barbaric to her mind. She was human and couldn't really imagine pursuing the death of children in order to have more children. It seemed ridiculously wrong to her.

Kagome tried very hard not to look at the injury on her hand. She didn't want to know how bad it already was when she would likely make it worse over the next couple days. Still she took her deep breaths to steady her hand. Still she carefully watched the flame and subsequent embers die.

"This way is cleaner?" Sesshoumaru gestured to the clear glass bowl settled over the bottom inside the lantern. Maneuvering the bowl over the flame and under the stone top was part of the reason the guardian lanterns were more difficult to tend.

"Perhaps not cleaner," Kagome admitted, "but it keeps the mess off the inside of the lantern. The bowl is easier to clean." She was also very lucky it didn't break when she dropped it earlier. She always remembered to handle the heavy glass with her gloved hand when removing it until it cooled. Putting it over the flame risked the glove catching on fire and then the rest of her clothing.

She had to wait a bit between the last two lanterns. The glass needed time to cool longer than it took her to move between the two. Even the guardian lanterns were farther apart. "Is this discussion going to take long, Sesshoumaru-_dono_?"

"Does it matter?" the _youkai_ _daijin_ asked in reply. "This one informed you the report you made would be looked into."

"You're here to talk about that?" Kagome stared at Sesshoumaru incredulously. "What for? Nothing will be done about it."

"Something is being done about it," Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at her. "This Sesshoumaru does not waste his time looking into things for no reason."

Kagome shut her mouth and turned back to her task. That last flame went out and she removed the bowl carefully. "I don't know what you want to talk about. I made sure the report was as detailed as possible."

"You wisely insisted on keeping a copy of it," Sesshoumaru added.

"My grandfather was supposed to insure that if anyone else tried to press charges the file would fall into the hands that needed it," she replied.

"It is now the only record that a report has ever been made," Sesshoumaru informed her.

"I figured," she shrugged and turned to lead the way back to her personal spaces. Moonlight bounced off the fallen snow making the scene glow brightly despite the night. "I was fairly certain that the ones in charge would bury it before it ever reached your father's ears. Even if it made it that far it would disappear."

"Hn," came the noncommittal sound behind her.

Kagome slid open the outer most screen door and stepped into the low space to remove her shoes and outerwear. "Shall I make tea? Would you prefer something else?"

"Tea would be acceptable," Sesshoumaru agreed, watching as Kagome stripped off her _tabi_ to lay atop her shoes. The soft cotton was clearly damp, likely from her tumble in the snow.

Kagome set the glass bowl on the counter beside the sink before setting the kettle she'd filled earlier to heat. Fujimoto Natsuo had left her _Osechi_ for her late meal. It was larger than Kagome expected to be able to eat, but not large enough to supply a proper meal to both a human and a _youkai_ guest. Picking it up to place on the low table, she reached to click on the small heater placed under the _kotatsu_. "I can pull out some cakes or biscuits as well if you like," she declared conversationally. Politeness required she offer both food and tea. She pulled two small plates from her cupboard and chopsticks as well before adding the cups for tea. She set the dishes out on the low table properly before receiving his answer.

"This Sesshoumaru does not care," the male answered. "This is not a social call and food is not needed."

Kagome blinked at him, wondering if he realized how rude he sounded. Antipathy could be beneficial in some situations. She imagined it served him well when dealing with other powerful _youkai_ both foreign and domestic, but in most informal scenarios it was just impolite. She exhaled softly, careful not to sigh audibly. Rude as he might be, diplomacy required she be polite. Rather than answer his words, she returned to the counter to pour water from the kettle into her ceramic teapot and collect the tea leaves. Both were carried to the table before the pot was covered with a simple warmer. "I must excuse myself to change. My clothing is damp and the chill is a threat to continued good health," it would also give the water time to cool and her guest time to collect himself and his thoughts.

"Higurashi-_san_," Sesshoumaru called as she turned to collect clothing and change in the bath. "Bathe. You are chilled. This one was informed upon our last encounter that a certain nurse would take exception to a failure to properly address any frigid dampening."

"To do so without someone to assume position of host would be rude," Kagome shook her head. "I can just change quickly and-"

"This Sesshoumaru's visit was unscheduled," the tall male cut her off. "See to your health. This one will wait, I will not be cause of further injury. My family has done you enough harm already."

"You're not responsible for my hand, Sesshoumaru-_dono_," Kagome turned to address the _youkai_ directly. _"_I have yet to get through a full new year's rites without burning myself on the lanterns. I've been jumpy lately and likely would have been startled by anything moving around behind me," she admitted flatly. It was true even if it was slightly embarrassing. Since Inuyasha had found her again, Kagome felt hunted every time she left the shrine grounds. She'd thought it was because the _Seishin-tekina shouheki_ protected her on the grounds but not beyond them. It wasn't until this morning when her charges were taken to stay with the Fujimoto family in _Nishi no Mura_ that she learned location had nothing to do with it. Being alone without distraction left her feeling vulnerable, even when she wasn't.

"But it was this Sesshoumaru that startled you and not some harmless animal," he countered.

"Last year it was a squirrel," Kagome argued as she drew back to the low table and settled to the floor beside it. "The year before, an owl. My first year I burned myself so many times, my predecessor threatened to takeover the chore in my place. My uncle's hands were scarred with burns from attending the lanterns every year. You were not responsible for any of those. If you were not here this year, I likely still would have burned myself anyway. Do not take on responsibility for minor accidents you could not have prevented."

"And your last injuries? The ones your charge gave you, do you blame him for them?" Sesshoumaru demanded, "Because he is as surely responsible for drawing blood as Inuyasha was for the ones that stole your future."

"Naoki was trapped under the ice, scrabbling at it to break free. He had no time to realize my arm was there to catch him up or be scratched by his desperately flailing claws," Kagome responded hotly. "There is a difference between seeking to live and scratching someone you didn't even know was there and what Inuyasha did. I can forgive an awful lot of someone young and drowning that I can't forgive an adult simply throwing an angry tantrum. You cannot compare disparate situations like that. Naoki didn't hurt me because he didn't get what he wanted. You **didn't** realize I wasn't actively scanning the area with my _reiki_ instead of relying solely on the shrine's notification system. Inuyasha **did** know that he'd dumped me and therefore could have no say in what I did with my life afterward. That I didn't mope and beg him to come back to me is not grounds to drag me away from my friends and assault me."

"Peace," Sesshoumaru ordered flatly as he leaned forward against the table. Kagome studied him closely. Many _youkai_ chose stoicism when in company of outsiders. The older _youkai_ were especially good at hiding what they thought or felt. It took years of careful observation and often some extra training to pick up the minuscule clues left to detect. Sesshoumaru wasn't so old as some of the _youkai_ she'd met in Tokyo, but he was hard to read.

Even still, she could tell he was tired. Weariness hovered over his shoulders like dead weight. There was something like disgust haunting the _inu_'s golden gaze, the type of self-loathing brought on by discovering examples of one's own culpability.

What Kagome knew of this particular _youkai_'s personality lead her to believe that looking into her case had shown him things that violated Sesshoumaru's personal code of ethics. Likely he'd discovered that everything she'd said about his father protecting Inuyasha to the point of circumventing his own laws was true. Such a truth this proud male would see as a blemish on the honor of his family line, one that he would carry with great shame until he saw it right. The problem was that it was unlikely to ever be set right.

Kagome sighed and settled more solidly on the floor, her clothes in her lap and her eyes on her guest. Telling him that her case wouldn't be given real consideration by _youkai_ or human law merely irritated Sesshoumaru. He was stubborn once riled, and no matter how many times she told him it was a lost cause she knew he would chase it down.

"Sesshoumaru-_dono_," she began quietly knowing his biggest complaint against her previous words had more to do with volume than anything else. "You are not your brother. You are not your father. They are each individuals you cannot control. Fate does not answer to you. History cannot be changed. My future was not stolen, only altered to flow down different paths. I have struggled for a long time to learn that lesson. I cannot change what has already been done. I can only choose how I will react to my present and live one day at a time. It hasn't always been easy. But I'm alive. I live Sesshoumaru-_dono_ and that's enough." Her tone turned admonishing towards the end. "You have enough real responsibilities to carry without adding imaginary ones."

"You exist within my territory. You were harmed by my family," Sesshoumaru growled. "Your justice is in my purview." His eyes narrowed on her, hiding the bits of feeling she'd detected better in his earlier gaze. "Your health requires change of clothes, heated water and proper attendance to your injury. You will see to all three before this Sesshoumaru will allow this discussion to continue."

Who did he think he was? Kagome wanted to growl right back at him. This was her home! She wasn't a _youkai_ and she didn't answer to _youkai_ powers for anything! A slow deep breath helped to release the pressure of anger building in her chest. Sesshoumaru was just like Inuyasha in some ways, that dominating, bossy behavior must be inherent to the breed.

She wasn't stupid. She wasn't a small child. Kagome very well knew what was necessary to maintain her own good health. She also had plenty of mother hens who lived a lot closer with a more prevalent presence. Sesshoumaru was not her friend. He was not her family. He wasn't even in charge of her government. He had no right to order her at all.

But pointing all that out would get her no where. Kagome well knew the stubbornness of dogs having the misfortune of dating Inuyasha for any span of time had certainly taught her that. "By your leave," Kagome's tone was sardonic and she couldn't bring herself to care if he was offended by her mocking his lack of manners. She didn't care how he reacted and her follow up actions proved that by immediately removing herself from the position of witnessing it.

Sliding the changing door shut behind her, Kagome huffed at the stuck up _youkai_ intruding on an otherwise quiet and peaceful evening. Swiftly stripping out of the outer robes of office she wore for shrine events and rites, she hung the damp clothing up to dry for the next day before assessing the thermal under layers she'd been wearing. Traditional clothing did not officially include anything modern in the way of undergarments. Many purists would be scandalized to know Kagome wore her bra and panties as well as thermal garments from neck to ankles.

She scoffed at the knowledge. Kagome was a transplant to Hokkaido and even the years she'd spent here hadn't completely acclimated her to the frigid weather she was expected to be outside in for New Year. Quite honestly, if no one was going to see under her robes it really didn't matter what she wore under them. Removing the tighter sleeves of her under shirt made her very aware of the damage her hand had taken though.

With the strong lights reflecting off the hard surfaces in the changing room, Kagome got her first good look at the mess her hand had become.

The back of her dominant hand was very red, both from the burns and from scrapes. With a groan, Kagome realized she'd drawn blood **and** burned herself bad enough to blister for the first time. This would take real bandaging after she'd cleaned up. It was very likely this would be her first lantern scar.

Her grandfather in Tokyo had his. Uncle Mattaki's hands had been riddled with his own set. Kagome had avoided them, avoided this when she was younger. Her hands had been so important for her dreams, her future. She sighed and swallowed as her stomach constricted tightly with the reminder of what Inuyasha's fit had cost her. She clamped her hands tightly over the edge of the hamper and took a few deep breaths.

The past was over and gone. It couldn't be changed and she couldn't have any present but the one she lived now. Kagome repeated the words to herself, adding rounds of positive thoughts to build herself back up. When she first came here, her depression was disabling. She was exhausted all of the time, more than just her recovering wounds would warrant. She hid away from everybody for months, trying to pull the pieces of herself out of the shattered heap left in the wake of a broken ambition. She couldn't risk the health and safety of others with her shaking hands and numbed finger tips.

Her mother had tried to encourage her to take on some other medical path. Higurashi Akina had insisted Kagome could be a nurse or a physician's assistant. Kagome slowly let go of her tight grip on the clothes hamper. Her mother couldn't seem to understand that having her dream within reach before being yanked away from her made it impossible to work so closely with others who had achieved that dream. To constantly rub salt in that wound would have rotted her soul until she was bitter and broken.

It wasn't that Akina didn't love Kagome. She'd just never fully understood. Sometimes people got stuck trying to hold things in one shape rather than allowing them to spread out and grow. Kagome seriously pursuing a career didn't fit the shape of things Akina desired for her children that day her father had left them.

Kagome didn't dwell on the what ifs of that day and it took her a long time to let go of the what ifs following Inuyasha's attack. Lamenting over what almost was didn't change it from never being.

Releasing a deep breath, Kagome stepped away from the hamper and into the bathing room. Reaching up, she twisted her hair up out of the way. She was in here to get clean and warm up. Much as she would like to soak and wash everything thoroughly, Kagome didn't feel comfortable leaving Sesshoumaru alone. Besides, wet hair wouldn't be conducive to getting warm and staying that way. She had quite a lot more of it than when in Tokyo.

Seven years with little more than the occasional trim left her with hair long enough to be fashionable several hundred years ago. Kagome supposed it was something else to mark her as different from the towns folk. Not that it took much, her hair was just something obvious for them to point at as a reason for whatever they wanted to say about her this season.

Kagome clicked on the hot water before dragging the stool out from where it was tucked against the wall. Reaching for her preferred scentless soap, she settled on the wooden surface still a little chilled, and turned on the hand sprayer and wet her wash cloth. Clicking the water back off, Kagome loaded the cloth with a dollop of liquid soap before working the cold square into a full lather. The soap stung her hand and brought tears to her eyes, but she knew better than to wuss out. The stone of the lanterns were cleaned yesterday, but that didn't mean they weren't still coated in germs and dirt. Animals left droppings everywhere and snow itself wasn't exactly clean. The lanterns had been covered in snow this morning, but the sun and the heat of the light had melted it off, leaving the resulting water to trace the contours of the stone inside and out.

Kagome sighed as she clicked the warmer water back on to wet herself before setting the sprayer aside and scrubbing herself down with the soaped rag. Damp skin prickled in the cool air and she wanted nothing more than to light the flame of the little burner for the tub and soak the cold and the aches of her labors away. Denying herself the luxury out of politeness for her unwanted guest, she shook her head and raised the sprayer again to rinse the suds from her body with the warmest water she could stand. Toes and fingers tingled with the rush of heat after being so acclimated to the temperature outdoors. One more prolonged rinse for good measure, Kagome wrung the soap out of her washcloth and hung it to dry before clicking the water off for the night and reaching for her overly fluffy towel to rub down and dry her skin.

Dressing quickly, Kagome checked her hand again to assess just what supplies she would need to address it properly. Her skin was red and the scrapes bled sluggishly. The blister remained whole and tender. Nodding to herself she dug out some antibacterial ointment, some gauze squares and medical tape. Carrying her supplies, Kagome exited the changing room and headed for the low table in her main living space for a clear work area. The counters in the changing room were littered with toiletries and items ready for mending. Oki and Naoki had a few toys scattered here and there where they would fit as Kagome preferred to keep the bathing room clear of unnecessary clutter when not in use.

Kagome wasn't sure what she expected when she reappeared after cleaning up. Perhaps Sesshoumaru would growl at her for taking so long. Or maybe he would tell her to go back and take longer like Natsuo did. It was possible he would take the first aid supplies from her and insist on treating her hand personally. Contrarily, he could criticize her for incurring the injury at all while still insisting on responsibility.

The Shrine network knew the elder son of Masashi didn't care to mingle with humans much. It wasn't a rare sentiment among _youkai_ that lived so long. Humans were little more than blips in the vastness of their lives and investing emotion or effort to learn their personal peculiarities didn't seem to pay out much in the long term. Kagome could almost understand that. There were many humans who took personal insult at it though. She could understand the reasons for that point of view better. Neither were right. Neither were wrong.

She definitely didn't expect to find Inuyasha's older brother with his hand propping his head up and his eyes firmly closed. Disbelief swept through her upon viewing the scene. The table's contents sat untouched. The cozy over the teapot remained in place. The box of New Year edibles remained full with the chopsticks she'd left out settled over top of it.

Kagome snorted to herself as she settled to the _tatami_ and placed her burdens on the flat edge. She knew _kotatsu_ heaters could have a soporific effect but this was ridiculous. Sesshoumaru should be on high alert this close to her _reiki_. The shrine itself was imbued with the energies of past caretakers and the occasional _miko_ attendant. Yet, there he sat, slumbering away. The lines that had unnoticeably marred his features smoothed out in the low light and restful state.

Then again, Ryoichi occasionally fell asleep during their visits. The _higuma_ always insisted it was a result of unanswered exhaustion. Perhaps the Northern_ youkai_ _daijin_ suffered the same problem. Many of the more powerful _youkai_ put off sleep as unnecessary until it caught up with them and forcibly shut them down.

Shrugging her shoulders, Kagome went on with her evening. Her hand was anointed and bandaged up. Her belly was filled with _kitsune_ made _Osechi._ The tea was poured into her cup, still plenty warm enough to be enjoyed. All of her dishes were transported to her sink and rinsed down. The left over _Osechi_ was covered and set back on the counter before she fetched her _futon _from the closet to get ready for bed.

Through it all, the silver _inu_ slept. Kagome wasn't quiet by any means but neither did she go out of her way to wake him. Eventually her bed time came and he still sat there, determinedly unconscious. With a sigh Kagome made the decision.

Moving back to the closet, Kagome dug out the blankets Oki and Naoki usually cuddled with. Laying a layer of cotton over the floor behind the _youkai_, Kagome reached to remove Sesshoumaru's tailored jacket from his shoulders. She loosened his collar, removing his tie and undid the buttons near his neck and cuffs. With motions practiced handling much smaller bodies, Kagome guided the _inu_ back to lay on the thick blanket. She stepped away to hang up his jacket and tie before returning with a pillow she tucked under his head.

Sesshoumaru roused enough for the light to gleam off a sliver of amber before he fell back into the soft arms of Morpheus. Kagome paused a minute to see if he would wake again before throwing the second short blanket over top of him. She drew the edge of the _kotatsu_ blanket up over the edge of the short blanket and insured he was fully covered before clicking off the heater under the table.

"Sleep well, Sesshoumaru-_dono_," Kagome sighed before moving to settle in her _futon_. She swiftly took down her hair and wove it into a loose braid to keep it in order while she slept. Turning out the light she settled in for some sleep. She wasn't sure how her guest would handle waking up in her shrine tomorrow. She didn't know if he would try to talk with her or if his schedule required Sesshoumaru to return to some other part of his territory.

Kagome had certainly never kept tabs on the higher ruling levels of _youkai_ government so she didn't know what Sesshoumaru's schedule was normally like. All she needed to know was Ryoichi's rounds and Fujimoto Natsuo's nursing schedule. Sesshoumaru existed in her stratosphere, so far out of reach as to be relegated to the back of her mind. In Hokkaido, Tokyo was far away and all but insignificant in the day to day workings of her life. Sometimes following what the emperor did from morning to night was entertaining, but it was hardly necessary for her to know.

Kagome yawned before drawing her blankets up to her ears, waiting for her body heat to warm a comfortable space she could sleep in. Tomorrow was a another day.


	5. Chapter 5

See notes in First Chapter.

**V**

The shrill ring of an old fashioned land-line telephone cut through the quiet of dark early morning hours. Sesshoumaru attempted to leap to his feet only to knock knees against a low wooden surface. The thud of impact was followed by the muffled sound of the low table resettling against the floor.

Sesshoumaru had no idea where he was. He couldn't recall going to sleep. If he had done so willingly, the _inu_ would have insured there was nothing to restrain him from getting back up amber eyes cracked open to stare into the opaque darkness enveloping the space around him.

Thoughts swept through his mind. Sesshoumaru couldn't comprehend what had caused him to fall asleep in an unfamiliar place. Usually he couldn't relax enough to rest unless Sesshoumaru was inside his allotted rooms, doors locked and windows barred. Too many assassination attempts from every strata of society had been made when he tried to sleep.

The rare occasions when Sesshoumaru woke to find himself in a new place, someone had been out to seduce or otherwise take advantage of him.

The _inu_ breathed deep, drawing in information about his surroundings and the company he was keeping.

The soft sound of cloth rubbing against itself drew his gaze to the side where Higurashi had sat up. The female wearily rubbed her eyes as she moved to get out of the single _futon_ present on the other side of the room. The chime for attention shrieked again and the human stumbled to the phone hanging up against the wall over her small refrigerator. It began a third ring as she picked it up and huskily called "_moshi moshi_," into the phone.

Almost before Higurashi could finish the customary greeting a slurred voice cut her off. The woman yawned before reaching for a tape recorder sitting on the flat white surface of the fridge. Raising the device she carefully clicked on a button before pressing the microphone to the ear piece of the phone receiver. The motions were practiced, indicating this was a common event.

The woman yawned and slouched back against the wall as she attempted to shake the weariness from her head. Her cracked eyes widened slightly in the dark before she reached to turn on the lights above the sink. Memory finally clicked and she sheepishly nodded at him before turning to face away from the inquisitive gaze of her guest.

Sesshoumaru's thoughts circled under his automatic suspicions at finding himself in this predicament. He hadn't consumed anything she'd set out the night before, and she hadn't touched him while he was awake. _Reiki_ wouldn't have a tranquilizing effect on most _youkai_. There was no way for the woman to induce unconsciousness in his person, purposely or by accident.

Sesshoumaru could hear his brother's drunken voice whining across the room. He should have realized the _hanyou_ brat would continue to harass Higurashi as soon as he knew where she was. Clearly, his half brother had been calling regularly if she was prepared to record calls in the middle of the night. Sesshoumaru didn't bother to hear individual words or phrases. Whether the brat was pathetically pleading or aggressively demanding, it all amounted to abuse of a woman that wanted nothing more from Inuyasha than to be left alone.

Sesshoumaru looked away from her slight figure to glance down at himself.

He sat at the table covered in blankets he didn't recognize. His jacket was missing, and while his buttons were partially undone, Sesshoumaru was still clothed beyond that. He had to check. Almost every time he woke up in the company of others, Sesshoumaru's body had been indecently exposed, occasionally restrained, and littered with small wounds on more than one occasion.

Sesshoumaru's distrust was well-learned.

But Kagome hadn't taken any real liberties with his person beyond insuring his comfort and preventing wrinkles in his jacket. She had covered him and made sure he was shielded from the chill of the unheated room after she responsibly snapped off the under table space heater.

Sharp ears picked up the electronic chirp of her rice maker coming on. It had been set to make part of her breakfast at this time which left him wondering at the hour. The night still hung heavy outside. Surely it was too early for a normal human schedule.

Kagome hung up the phone and clicked the off button on her tape recorder. Popping the cartridge out, she uncapped a marker whose scent burned his nose several feet away at the table. The felt tip squeaked over the plastic as she labeled the recording. Her hand swept up to cover another wide yawn before she set her micro-tape in a box seemingly filled with similar items. Unwrapping a new one, Kagome placed it in the recorder and returned it to the top of the fridge under the phone.

The _Jinja no Sewanin_ stumbled tiredly out of sight for a few minutes. When she returned her face was freshly scrubbed and Kagome was carrying her shrine robes on a hanger, patting the cloth over for damp or dirt. The garments were hung from the shelf in the slightly open closet before she returned to the kitchen cupboards with a yawn.

Both her small hands swept over her face to rub at her eyes and forehead before she washed them in the small sink. "Good morning, Sesshoumaru-_dono_," she greeted him before kneeling to pull out more ingredients for her breakfast. "Are you hungry?"

"This Sesshoumaru does not eat food prepared by others," he replied flatly. It wasn't due to prejudice or disparity of diet. Experience had taught him that others could not be trusted with anything he would ingest. Too many attempts to poison, intoxicate, or otherwise influence his health and mental state were made by means of consumption. Tea was his only exception and that was usually a quiet subterfuge to stymie general criticisms about his manner. He never drank it. A cup would sit in front of him untouched until it was stone cold and he was ready to leave. Very few were trusted with even the preparation of hot water.

"I can understand that," she hummed absently as her ingredients settled on the counter and she went about preparing them. A single set of dishes waited for her use beside a modest sized _bento_ box she filled concurrently. "I had a friend in high school who was the same way. Eri had suffered too many episodes of food poisoning and allergic reactions as a result of food accepted from restaurants and even well known friends. She found it hard to trust anyone else with her food." Her hair was falling out of the loose braid but it remained back enough to avoid impeding her work. "I imagine your reasons are similar."

Sesshoumaru blinked at the comparison. He couldn't be certain if her friend was human or _youkai;_ both species could become ill from wrongly handled foods or have bad reactions to certain types of ingredients. He'd never much liked being classed with anyone else for any reason. It was likely a result of having such associations made between first himself and his father, then later between himself and Inuyasha. He was his own person, preferably in a category by himself.

"I have some vegetables and meat in the refrigerator. The vegetables came from the grocer in town and the meat was delivered to me by Ryoichi. Most of his latest provisions, I sent into town to help feed Oki and Naoki until day after tomorrow. I have more rice if you want it too," Kagome shared. "You are free to make use of my dishes and the counter when I'm done."

Sesshoumaru watched her as she filled up the sink with soapy water and set her rinsed dishes from last night in the low basin. As she worked on her breakfast more dishes were added to the collection until she removed her uncovered _bento_ and breakfast to the table.

Before he could move, she was back at the sink carefully washing and rinsing the soiled dishes. The drying rack attached to the wall quickly filled with wet items dripping gently into sudsy water below. In very little time, Kagome pulled the stopper from the drain and returned to her table, absently yanking off the soaked bandages on the back of her hand as she went.

"How bad is the injury?" he almost reached to see for himself. Sesshoumaru wasn't one to engage in tactile interactions, his concern was mildly confusing. He felt responsible, which was nothing new. Responsibility had been a cornerstone of his life seemingly since birth. He had always been responsible for something whether it be his own honor and lessons or the well-being of his half of his father's territory. Responsibility had never driven him to touch anyone needlessly before.

"I'll live," she replied nonchalantly. Kagome dug into her meal, seeming to savor each individual bite. "Did you want tea?" she asked him.

"Hn, would it not have been better to ask before you sat down to eat so you could enjoy some?" Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at her timing.

"I'm not having any. If I did, I'd be inclined to linger over it and I don't have the time," she answered. "I need to get outside and break up any ice that has formed over the purification trough, set out the dippers, clean up the lanterns and restock them with fuel so they're ready to light when the time comes. I need to sweep the grounds, check for any snow or ice collected in dangerous areas and all before the volunteers start arriving in a little under two hours."

"Should not such tasks be handled by your volunteers?" Sesshoumaru pointed out, he couldn't understand not making use of the people who had offered assistance.

"My few volunteers will have enough to fill their day without those tasks. The charm stall has to be manned at all times and the _amazake_ table needs to be set up and maintained. Someone has to watch the purification trough and manage the traffic flow, and it cannot be me," Kagome informed him monotonously. "I'm needed in my capacity as a shrine official to greet the visitors and offer direction while overseeing everything else." She set her chopsticks down and settled the lid over the _bento_ before resuming her meal. "As it is, there are not enough volunteers to support covering everything in shifts. Whoever manages each booth will be stuck there all day or else I'll have to close it."

"The _kitsune_-" Sesshoumaru began, only to be cut off by the Higurashi woman.

"The _youkai_ who secretly live in _Nishi no Mura_ will do what is necessary to remain unobtrusive," she stated firmly. "This is a small town far away from Sapporo and any other large population centers where _youkai_ mixing into human society is out in the open and generally accepted. The news we receive here is only the sensational crimes and politics. Do you know what these rural people hear about Tokyo and Kyoto and other large cities?" Her words took on an edge of frustration. "Every bombing, every string of murders, every major crime that destroys property and lives is perpetuated or caused by _youkai_. They hold it as simply something crazy that happens in cities because they haven't the sense to keep the _youkai_ outside of town."

"Those sentiments went out of mainstream decades ago," Sesshoumaru told her incredulously.

"This place isn't mainstream, Sesshoumaru-_dono_," Kagome shrugged. "Here when they hold suspicions of someone for not being born here, the whispers hint at _youkai_ ancestry for explanation."

"They believe **you** are _youkai_?" Sesshoumaru was tempted to laugh. It was absurd to believe Higurashi could be mixed with anything not completely human. She was far too average in all things except _reiki_ and its associated hardiness.

"I believe the latest tales the teenagers were whispering had me as a _bakeneko_," she was clearly amused by the depiction. "I was apparently born from a cat my uncle's daughter raised before she died. My cousin was allergic to cats and she died years ago with no reason to seek any kind of revenge." Kagome smiled at him smugly, "Before that, I was a _yukionna_, come down from the mountains to deceive the towns people and plague them with harsh winters. I didn't even have the romantic tragic story of being jilted by a man I loved, I was just spiteful."

"Hn," he hummed, considering her words. It was laughable that such ignorance still existed. Yes, certain animals and objects could take on _youki_ if the circumstances were just right, but it was very rare. It was more common for a _youkai_ to be born in the natural way. To **become** _youkai_ was far too uncertain to be able to plan it. One couldn't just decide to hinge hopes for revenge on a pet or a favorite garment. The change was often the result of chance rather than determination.

"I let them talk and scare themselves all they want," Kagome stood and reached for her robes. "When they aim to expose me as _youkai_ they search for a proof of something that isn't there. Better their eyes pin suspicions on me than on ones who can be severely injured by their gossip."

Sesshoumaru knew there were several _youkai_ families in the local town. They had lived there for centuries among the humans and were still subject to the occasional gossip. They were different from their neighbors in that they fostered their children with extended "family" and reciprocated the custom. The practice was well known in _Nishi no Mura_ and wasn't questioned much, but it was different and set them apart. It irked him slightly that his people were being protected by someone else in such a way. But Higurashi was right. The gossips could never prove she was _youkai_ so better they put their efforts trying to in her direction than at ones who could be exposed.

It was only a dangerous situation if the humans had cause to become violent. Even then, shrine families were protected by the respect of their position. Kagome would not likely come to physical harm under their covert persecution.

"There are three _kitsune_ leashes in _Nishi no Mura_ and one _tanuki_ tribe," she added. "They police themselves from pulling too much mischief on the wrong people. It's the _koorigamo_ I'm having to focus on right now."

"The birds on the far side of the marsh?" Sesshoumaru questioned. He was only passingly familiar with the wild _youkai_ boundaries in the area. The treaties in this region were stable and usually required little effort to enforce. Most of the non-humans remembered the reasons the restrictions were in place. Most of the humans had no reason to encroach on _youkai _inhabited territory.

"Every few years or so you get a new crop of _koorigamo_ ready to nest, adding to the competition for space on the shore," Kagome nodded. "I found Naoki because of one unlearned male. He'd decided to remove himself from the competition by moving to the side no one else was looking to nest on. I had to shoo him back, but a few others have happened upon the enterprising idea. Luckily, there have been no humans caught in the middle yet. I do not want to try to mediate the situation after someone's child has been injured or killed." She didn't have the confidence of her fellows in town.

"Hn," that could erupt into a set of events far too similar to the last domestic war. Sesshoumaru took note of the situation to look into while she pulled the robes on over the thermal garments she'd slept in.

"I've spoken to Ryoichi and the elders of the flock," Kagome shrugged her loose sleeves into place. "Ryoichi makes a sweep of the near side of the pond on every visit and the elders are trying to educate the reckless young males about the dangers involved. Their efforts have limited efficacy." Her robes smoothed out to her satisfaction, the little female bent to fold up her _futon_ and return it to the closet.

"We still need to speak of your problems with Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru changed the subject. Others had done everything they were allowed to do for the situation. There was little more that could be done until an incident occurred. If Ryoichi caught one of the ducks on the wrong side of the marsh, he could physically eject the trespasser. The elders could only advise the youngsters against the risk, prevention on their part was unlikely as there were only so many elders in a flock and far larger numbers in the younger generation. They couldn't watch every one all the time. It was a bigger problem when the younger generations failed to revere the teachings of their elders. There were far too many new adults that believed they knew better than all the ones who went before and survived what the world had thrown at them.

"It'll have to wait for evening," Kagome declared, her hands freeing her hair from the frazzled braid before tying it back with the traditional paper. "My day is full."

"This needs to be discussed," he insisted. Sesshoumaru wanted to know her thoughts on why the original report had been lost by the two agencies entrusted with it.

"And this shrine needs me available to receive patrons all day," came her smart reply.

"Surely you plan to break for a meal at mid day, we can-"

"We can't, Sesshoumaru-_dono_. I will not be breaking until well past sunset. Just like yesterday. The same will hold true for tomorrow as well," Kagome cut in which he chose to excuse.

"This Sesshoumaru only has a break in duties for this time. Day after tomorrow, this one's responsibilities must be resumed," he generously explained, certain that the knowledge would induce Higurashi Kagome to alter her stance.

"The reason you were able to orchestrate a three day break over the first days of the year is because even _youkai_ observe traditional behaviors surrounding time with kin, performing the patrol duties of shrine families in rural areas they are too busy to conduct, and even visiting shrines to help maintain the illusion of being human for their neighbors." Kagome turned to raise a sardonic eyebrow at him. "Natsuo's whole public family came out early yesterday to pay their visit and collect Naoki and Oki." She turned her attention to the table clearing her breakfast dishes from the space before reaching for the first aid materials to re-bandage her hand. "You're welcome to stick around all day to speak with me tonight. I still have some of Uncle Mattaki's robes you can wear if you want to wash your clothes. They might run a little short, but they are clean and we can tell people who ask you're a visitor from the city."

"This Sesshoumaru is _youkai_," he pointed out blandly. It was strange that she would encourage him to expose his presence at her shrine after detailing how unreceptive the local humans were of non-humans.

"Your human form is well done," Kagome smirked at him as she cut gauze to fit over her abrasions. "I'm certain you are familiar with the reactions your appearance gains from most females and a handful of males. If you remain reticent and ignore most of them, the locals will treat you like a passing rock star. The remaining few who aren't influenced completely by your image will decide how to view you based on your behavior and treatment towards the ones in the crowd they individually care most about." Carefully, she taped the gaze down with medical tape before flexing her hand to judge the fit. "So long as you are polite and aloof, there shouldn't be a problem. No one will become jealous, aggressive, or offended. You won't be here long enough to be accessible or catch anyone who thinks you should be open to a relationship with anyone but me who they will presume is your reason to be here."

"Will not that make things more difficult for you?" he felt compelled to ask.

"Not really," Kagome shrugged as she set her medical scissors and other supplies back into their box. "According to local gossip, every scandal to sweep through the community since my arrival has been laid at my door step. I've apparently broken up a half dozen marriages, aborted three pregnancies and eaten the principal's pet goat around the time of last year's graduation ceremony down at the middle school. My coming here was the result of a jilted lover, a broken marriage, or because a wealthy man paid me to stay away from his son." She sighed, "Having anyone visit me for anything beyond shrine business will always be twisted to look badly on my character. You could be my younger brother, my grandfather, or even my mother. Somehow the rumors would end and begin in a nefarious tone and include some sexual element."

"Surely not," Sesshoumaru barely refrained from showing a strong reaction to her words.

"It would only titillate the story tellers more if they knew they were talking about me with a family member," Kagome huffed. "There were certainly plenty of stories about me and my uncle while he was alive. Some persist. I live alone without known witnesses. Every summer since his passing the children tell tales about me resurrecting my uncle's ghost. The adults take it further."

"That is disgusting," the words escaped him.

"It is my reality," Kagome shrugged. "There were many people who had their aspirations disrupted by my appearance up here. At least half a dozen families insist Mattaki would have chosen their beloved son to inherit if I hadn't bewitched him into thinking I was family enough to succeed him." She stood up from the low table and headed for the low shelves by the door to pull on her waiting gloves and grab up a metal bucket. "People like to think they are closer to inheriting respected positions than they ever were if not for the existence of some undeserving person in their way." She stepped into her shoes before reaching for the door. "If you decide to stay and wash your clothes, my uncle's clothes are in the bin on the shelf above my _futon_. Shrine robes would be ideal if you intend to stay in the shrine. Street clothes would work better if you intend to go into town and check on Naoki and Oki_._ I wouldn't suggest trying to do both immediately. You are too distinctive in your coloring for visitors not to make the connection without greater effort to disguise yourself. As it is, visiting the Fujimoto family might be a problem if anyone in town is familiar with what the _daijin_ looks like. You are a favorite of the press in some of the more respectable news publications."

Satisfied that Sesshoumaru would be fine on his own, Kagome stepped outside and shut the door on any further attempts to steer the conversation back to his desired topic.

With no one around to see, Sesshoumaru glared at the door. He hadn't expected Higurashi Kagome to be so evasive concerning her own troubles with Inuyasha. She was open about everything else in her life. She was transparent about the _youkai_ situation in her purview and the local people's opinion of herself.

His eyes widened as Sesshoumaru realized something. Kagome was open about things that were currently in her life. She was focusing on the present, almost desperately so.

Genkei had insisted, Kagome wouldn't want to talk about Inuyasha's attack. The wound was large and long in healing. The _hanyou_ had torn a hole in more than her arm. He'd ripped her world apart and hadn't even given her the courtesy of putting her out of her misery. She was surviving, and in some moments Kagome managed to counterfeit happiness so well it was almost real.

Sesshoumaru doubted Kagome had been so balanced immediately after becoming aware of her nerve damage and what it meant. He doubted she'd found it easy to settle into a lifestyle she had previously rejected. There was no way she could have with the locals set against her for assuming a respected community position so many others had their eyes on.

She wasn't being evasive because she didn't want to talk to Sesshoumaru. It was the time frame Kagome rejected. It was anything about her past before relocating. The only reason she had bothered to inform him of the report made was because Inuyasha had been present to force the issue.

The brat was still present, golden eyes shifted to the box of tapes she'd added to that morning. Drawing the small blanket from where it had rested all morning over his shoulders, Sesshoumaru stood up from the floor. White socked feet padded over to her small kitchen space to investigate.

The box wasn't hidden as it laid atop the small refrigerator. It hadn't seemed very big from across the room, and in reality it wasn't any bigger than a commercial shoe box. It only seemed large when one considered how many tapes were required to fill it and the sheer number of unwanted calls they represented. Inuyasha had resumed his schedule of harassment as soon as the brat made it home. All of the cartridges were labeled with dates and times. Each one cataloged anywhere from two to four separate calls. Sometimes the inconsiderate _hanyou_ called more than once in a single twenty four hour period. Sometimes he skipped a couple days then called at one or two in the morning.

Any other woman, Sesshoumaru would advise to change her number and keep it unlisted. Shrine families **had **to have a listed land line upon which government officials and other shrine families could contact them. Inuyasha was a _youkai daijin_ which meant her tormentor would always have a way to contact Kagome. She couldn't block his number, as ineffective as it would be, or she would be violating that rule. She couldn't install caller ID and refuse to answer his calls. The brat went through phones like a toddler went through candy.

Besides which, even an incompetent fool knew how to get around such efforts. All Inuyasha would have to do is borrow a phone or use one of the public phones out on the street. An answering machine wouldn't really do her any good, and voice mail was generally frowned upon by the Shrine school and monitoring body.

It made Sesshoumaru consider how often shrines received harassing or prank calls. The only protection the shrines had was related to the general respect of the community for the service they provided. It was certainly not enough. Clearly, it didn't protect against stalking.

Sesshoumaru strangled a growl at the situation. He may not have heard every single individual word in this morning's call, but he recognized the emotional manipulation being attempted. Inuyasha's mother had been prone to similar schemes. In Izayoi it never went this far. She never pursued something this much. She respected certain boundaries where Inuyasha saw none worth stopping for.

Sesshoumaru had been glad Masashi never mated his human fling. Izayoi was far too childish to hold a position of respect in _youkai_ society. She couldn't see beyond her own wants to the greater needs of his father's people and never mastered diplomacy. Her humanity wasn't even the biggest issue as far as _youkai_ nobility was concerned. Izayoi was a bit of fluff, lacking substance in every way that mattered.

Inuyasha was a bit more than his mother given the length of time spent growing up beyond her lifespan. It had not seemed to counteract the original influence she'd had on his personality, rather only managed to ingrain her negative traits even further.

Slender fingers shuffled the clunky plastic a bit to study the dates, memorizing the earliest ones and wishing for an actual calendar to map out the patterns of contact. Sesshoumaru doubted Inuyasha was drunk for every call. He doubted the boy whined in every try at persuasion. There was more than one way to coerce a person, as the _inu_ well knew. Inuyasha was brash and reckless. Where Sesshoumaru could gauge what strategy for persuasion might work most effectively on a person of Kagome's temperament, Inuyasha wouldn't think in such a linear fashion. As often as the boy tried to convince Kagome he needed her with his whining, no doubt Inuyasha called to berate and demean her into coming back to him because she couldn't do better. Both were abusive lies, schemes she had clearly seen through at least a dozen times. Inuyasha wouldn't step back and try thinking of another tactic to try, he would just continue to alternate between the two erratically, depending on his mood or the progress of his day.

Sesshoumaru sighed quietly before leaving the box of tapes alone. It was curious as to why Kagome would tape the calls and keep them. Clearly she had no intention of giving them to her local police. There were too many present, this had gone on for too long. Beyond which, Inuyasha couldn't stalk her locally so the local offices could take no action beyond issuing a restraining order that wouldn't accomplish much. Sesshoumaru was a bigger deterrent.

No one in local authority knew the history of the situation. It was unlikely they would work with the Tokyo branches even if they did. Tokyo had proven their incompetence and unwillingness to give Kagome's complaint due process. What investigation had been conducted was by her personal agents: family, friends and contacts. There was no reason for her to trust in the efficacy of outside parties. She was incredulous that **Sesshoumaru** was looking into it.

Deciding against preparing himself a repast, the _inu_ approached the closet in search of the robes she'd promised. Wearing his clothes a second day without freshening up, was distasteful to him. Besides, if he was going to linger around the shrine, Sesshoumaru was determined to keep busy and his clothing was far too expensive for the type of activity he was likely to find.

Higurashi had indicated she was short handed. Perhaps she would be more amenable to discussion if Sesshoumaru helped to alleviate her problem. Life had taught him there were many ways to achieve what he wanted. Persuasion could take many shapes. With some it required munificent awards to charity. Others required PR assistance. A few succumbed to wisely measured flattery. Perhaps Kagome would bend to a show of his willingness to act on her voiced difficulties.

Sesshoumaru couldn't blame the human female for dismissing his personal interest in the injustices of her situation. Most officials were given to offer boons and action that never happened. Many of Masashi's own court and council were prone to dance verbal circles around making a solid promise over anything.

Clawed hands pulled out the colorless robes that smelled of recent washing. Higurashi seemed very thorough in her year end cleaning. Sesshoumaru held the _haori_ up against his torso to check for size. Most humans lacked the breadth of shoulder to fit comfortably on him. Traditional robes were looser in ever way, increasing the chances he would be moderately respectable in them. The _hakama_ proved short, as Kagome had suggested. If he wore the socks tucked into the bin beside the robes, it would be less notable than if he wore his own stark white ones.

Sesshoumaru headed for the changing room and the promised washer. He wouldn't wash his suit pants or jacket, the fabrics required special treatment, washing everything else would have to be enough.

The bathtub tempted. It was rare when Sesshoumaru had the time or the traditional facilities available to him for a proper bath. Places he stayed during the course of his duties rarely were so well equipped. Often, if such amenities were present they were also public and therefore far too hazardous for him to use. His father's house, despite its age and grandiose proportions, was of a western style in all aspects. Masashi seemed to prefer his grooming to be quick and efficient even when he had the luxury for more.

Sesshoumaru's own apartments were deficient in this one aspect as well. It was so very tempting to take advantage of Higurashi's hospitality. It was even more tempting to plan to take advantage in future as well, to build into his busy schedule some recurring excuse to journey this far out of his way just so he could partake of that tub.

"Hn," Sesshoumaru snorted against the thought. There were not many _inu_ who were so fond of soaking in water. There were many who liked to swim and others who enjoyed a run in fresh smelling rain. Sesshoumaru had been whispered to be odd for enjoying a good soak in steaming water. He didn't mind those other pleasures provided the water wasn't cold. He spent most of his time in the north where all water seemingly was. There was also the issue of privacy. All Sesshoumaru's leisure pursuits were subject to the intrusion of either unwanted amorous attention or sudden urgent business. Running through rain was very public and swimming...There were not many bodies of water Sesshoumaru felt comfortable spending time in outside regardless of temperature.

Having an exceptionally sensitive nose and the ability to identify all that was detected, Sesshoumaru knew exactly what contaminated the rivers, bays, and seas surrounding Japan. He didn't need to have scientific tests run to tell him. The waters of Higurashi's soaking tub smelled clean, likely a result of regular exposure to her _reiki_. If not for his strong desire to get to the bottom of Kagome's lost complaint against Inuyasha, the _inu_ would have performed a thorough grooming just to soak in that tub.

Instead, Sesshoumaru thoroughly freshened up and donned the approved robes before dropping the removed articles into the washer. Taking note of the time on his expensive watch, the northern _daijin_ pointedly strode out of the changing room in search of appropriate shrine footwear. His shoes were a shiny, polished leather, perfect for completing a distinctive impression. They were not meant for standing and walking over gravel and pavement for prolonged periods of time.

Higurashi's intention was for him to appear on shrine business, shrine officials did not wear expensive, foreign made shoes manufactured out of animal hide. At least not when they were wearing traditional robes observing _shinto_ rites.

In a small cubby next to the door, Sesshoumaru found a spare set of _geta_ that appeared to be comparable in size to what he needed. Sliding them on his feet, he paused to get a feel for the fit and balance. Satisfied, the silver _inu_ reached for the door, sliding it open before striding into the two day old new year.


	6. Chapter 6

See notes in First Chapter.

\+ the pacing will be "glacial" and Kagome will seem "bitter". Because 1) Kagome's whole life was abruptly changed by an assault 2) followed by stalking behaviors and 3) the lacking support of her own mother. She was then 4) removed from everything she was familiar with and transplanted to a hostile environment until 5) her new and greatest supported passed away approximately two years before the start of the story.

**VI**

Kagome was cleaning the lantern Sesshoumaru had blown out the night before when the _youkai_ culprit of her current frustrations made his appearance. Having grown up in close proximity of _youkai_ from a fairly young age, she had mastered the art of complaining about people under her breath without using actual words. Muttering was a healthy vent for mild anger, and the only way to do it without escalating any given situation was to make sure no one around her could hear or understand what she was saying.

Oki and Naoki had overheard her a few times after Inuyasha's calls or after Natsuo and Ryoichi had argued over something silly. The pair of _shimarisu_ had given her the same looks some of her classmates in school had done until she explained. They still looked at her weird, but now their eyes held childish mirth after she stopped self-consciously. A moment later she would usually join them.

It was silly to miss her two charges. If Kagome were willing, she could reach out into the town below the shrine and find them. Even in a nest of _kitsune_ energy, she would be able to distinguish which were her regular companions. She knew their energy well.

But she wasn't willing to unnerve every _youkai_ in the area to reassure herself that the kits were fine. Kagome had concocted the plan to send them to the Fujimoto home for the first three days of the year and she still believed that doing so was best. Mixed in with Natsuo's grandchildren, the quieter chipmunks would be well hidden from shrine patrons that didn't respect the privacy of a _Jinja no Sewanin_.

Taking a deep breath, Kagome set aside the brushes used to clean the lantern before carefully refilling the fuel reservoir. There were far too many locals that saw nothing wrong with snooping through her things. It was one of the reasons she hadn't wanted to live her adult life on a shrine.

Growing up, they'd always tried to keep at least one family member in the private areas of the shrine in order to chase off nosy teenagers, lost tourists and irreverent visitors. The shrine family was viewed like living exhibits in a museum by some. Kagome had hated it. It never failed that someone, regardless of the time or situation, would attempt to move farther into the private spaces than they should.

There had been several minor thefts. Graffiti across the inside walls of their house a time or two. The worst had been after her father's funeral. The Higurashi family had come home from the memorial wearing their mourning clothes to find the house trashed, heirloom blankets ripped to pieces, and every room had clearly been invaded. Kagome's bed had dirt and greasy mud caked into the bumble gum pink comforter. Her curtains had been half ripped from the rod. School books littered the floor from where they had been ripped out of her new backpack. The brand new school uniform sported slashes and splashes of foul smelling ink. The only thing that had kept Kagome from dissolving into six year old hysterics was that her very special treasure box remained untouched in its hiding place behind her bookshelf.

Still it was almost as traumatizing as watching her father die all over again. And every time something happened along those lines again, it just reconfirmed Kagome's zeal to become a trauma surgeon, save lives and get out of shrine life.

Kagome carefully bit her tongue to distract from any further thoughts on that track.

"Higurashi-_san_," her _youkai_ guest approached her. Kagome had tried to think of the most plausible story to tell her patrons to explain the presence of the _youkai_ _daijin_. She didn't get many visitors and his visibility in prominent respectable newspapers made it dangerous to allow his visit to be associated with anyone from _Nishi no Mura_. It wouldn't take a lot of digging to unearth Sesshoumaru's species and people in town would assume he would only have reason to visit _youkai_.

Kagome was already under suspicion, but there still needed to be a plausible explanation for him to be here. She'd prefer to keep her past private. In the city, the police and enforcers hadn't blamed her for Inuyasha's behavior, here they would. Dating a partially non-human person would remove her credibility with the few in _Nishi no Mura_ who accepted her blood ties to Mattaki. These people were not open to species mixing in their town let alone romantic relationships.

Of course, many people didn't know that humans and _youkai_ were compatible in any way. _Hanyou_ were extremely rare even in the city. Inuyasha himself was referred to as a _youkai_ in the papers as demanded by his father. As enlightened as Japan was today, mixing between ethnicity was still something commented on, mixing between species made the comments vicious. Masashi's status protected Inuyasha, insulated him from being terrorized over his blood.

Kagome would not be protected for having dated him outside of Tokyo and Masashi's immediate sphere. Here Inuyasha would be considered by the locals as worse than simply _youkai_. He was a threat to the status quo of species separation. More than that despite his unpalatable behavior issues, Inuyasha was inherently attractive. Strength and power were attractive. Exotic characteristics in a mostly human appearance could be extremely attractive, especially to teenage girls who are attracted to shiny, flashy things.

Kagome herself went through a phase at thirteen where she was absolutely stuck on a J-pop band. She moved on to a Hollywood actor in high school. A sigh escaped her as she finished with the lantern. She wished she'd had the same relationship with Inuyasha, one from afar with no personal interactions.

It almost had been like that. Kagome had certainly noticed him that day they met. Masashi's genes were strong in his sons and their coloring could never blend in a crowd. Long white hair was far too striking with such young features. Of course Inuyasha's personality also made it impossible for him to blend. He was just too loud in general.

She'd been rather taken with his animated ears, but Kagome was too busy to have acted on her interest. Too many would-be boyfriends hadn't made it past the first date when her suitors found out she was a dedicated med student with little time to spend with some shallow boyfriend out for a good time. There weren't many guys willing to put in the work for a relationship that wouldn't have more party nights and less sleeping alone.

Kagome had received a fairly average amount of male attention throughout her teens and early twenties. Perfectly nice guys would ask her out and she'd be willing to give a first date to most of them, wanting to form an informed opinion. Few lasted longer than that for whatever reason. Distractions were not actively pursued on her part.

Kagome shook her head out of the past and headed to deposit her bucket behind the partition wall and pick up her broom. It was better not to delve too far down memory lane. Inuyasha was her last boyfriend. He had changed her life. Better to focus on the life she had rather than the one she didn't. That way lead to trouble, emotional and mental trouble.

"Do you have another broom?" Sesshoumaru's deep voice broke into her thoughts. She hadn't precisely forgotten he was there. It was hard to miss such loud _youki i_n her shrine space. It danced along the edges of her caged _reiki_, sending electric tingles over her skin. It was like her aura was waking up after falling asleep, only there was no end when he was near.

Silently she handed the tall male her broom before going to search out the spare her uncle had used. Kagome hadn't wanted to hand over any part of this particular chore. This was her meditation and she needed it more since Inuyasha's element was reintroduced into her life. But today was going to be busy and it was very important that she get the sweeping done quickly.

Kagome's hands closed over the shaft of her great uncle's broom and she gave a sad smile. She missed him. Mattaki had been better company than she deserved when she first came here. Towards the end, he was her greatest comfort. He saved her life. That old man was her greatest hero and she missed him with a quiet sorrow that ached in a soft way.

Starting in the far corner from where Sesshoumaru worked, Kagome dragged the softened natural bristles over the paving stones. There had been a light dusting of snow over night and she needed to clear it so she could check the grounds for ice.

It was something Kagome did even when she wasn't expecting visitors and there was no need. Other days she wouldn't care if ice covered parts of the grounds. It was winter and slick pavement was unlikely to hurt anyone when she was the only one likely to move over the grounds. She didn't worry about Naoki and Oki because they were mostly kept inside for lack of a healthy winter coat. Besides, _youkai_ were less likely to slip on slick surfaces by virtue of their enhanced balance and a fall was unlikely to cause them much damage if they did take a tumble. She did it for the calming effect the chore had on her nerves.

The kits were finally starting to fill out to a proper weight and muscle density, but Kagome's efforts to help them had started too late for the kits to develop a thicker fur for the cold weather. As such everyone involved in looking after the pair minimized their possible exposure to the cold weather.

Kagome knew when the time came to let them go, she would hurt as bad as when she'd lost her father, her great uncle, all of Tokyo, and her dream. She didn't know how to do right by them without giving of herself. And once she gave of herself to lose the person she cared about was to lose a part of herself.

Still, Kagome couldn't regret knowing Oki and Naoki. She couldn't regret saving them. Without Kagome, Naoki would have drown and Oki would have starved to death before she had the chance to freeze. Their family situation made it almost impossible for either of them to have survived even if they had made it past that single difficulty.

Ryoichi had looked into how the pair had ended up on their own. He didn't need their names when scent couldn't be faked. _Higuma_ weren't the scent trackers that _inu_ and _ookami_ could be, but Ryoichi had enough of their scents to be able to identify when he came upon a relative. As a _youkai _official who already lived in the wild, he would have a better time of approaching the forest _youkai_ for information than Kagome or the _kitsune_ would. Most of the non-humans who lived in the woods were keen to avoid townsfolk, especially those with power enough to harm them. Even still, Ryoichi could only expect the shy forest folk to receive him because he was an emissary of Sesshoumaru and Masashi.

The story Ryoichi pieced together was a sad one which Kagome believed was fairly common among the forest people. Naoki and Oki's father had died in the harshest part of winter years past. Their mother had done her best by them and might have managed to raise them almost to adults if not for the increasingly pressing interest of replacement suitors. Breeding was serious business for _youkai_, and as far as _shimarisu_ were concerned, the mother was a prime partner. But males were not generally kind to offspring of previous partners and she refused to move on. Things were beginning to swing into more violent territory when the female died protecting her young.

Naoki and Oki were then transferred into the custody of their paternal aunt who was not enthusiastic about the new responsibility. One of the more pressing suitors to their mother switched his attention to the aunt for no other reason than because he wanted the kits dead. Convinced this male would partner with her, their aunt abandoned them near the town and shrine.

Ryoichi had indicated that while the aunt was found in the presence of this male, there was no partnership likely to be undertaken. Of course Naoki and Oki's aunt hadn't realized this until after she'd bragged about her smart method of disposing of the kits, rendering herself completely unacceptable as a guardian. After her boast, the would-be suitor quickly departed declaring he'd never really wanted **her**, just the kits dead for the death of the partner he did want.

Kagome hadn't tried to keep it from Naoki and Oki, much as she felt they didn't need any more bad experiences or hurtful knowledge. It was highly likely they already knew on some level what had happened.

Life was hard and vulnerable. Living in hiding was difficult and precarious. Several _youkai _species managed it to greater or lesser success. The _koorigamo_ and _shimarisu_ were only two known species to prefer living amongst the trees. They were successful only because they were inherently small and the resources they needed were either protected under treaty or not wanted by humans.

Still, there weren't really enough resources to go around for expanding communities as the _koorigamo_ problem plainly illustrated. Naoki and Oki's history was further proof.

Kagome dragged the broom against the snow, guiding it to the edges of the open ground hemmed in by trees and _torii_. Crowds liked to linger and would somehow manage to spread across all the grounds. The booths were close to the _torii_ facing the _haiden_, but most new year visitors milled around. Extended families would wait to meet up before offering their respect to the shrine. Teenagers would congregate close to the _amazake_ table, hoping to sneak more than was allowed by their parents. Students with exams coming up would stop and buy _omamori_ for academic luck. Young adults would seek out charms for romance or financial luck. New expectant couples will hope someone else will gift them _omamori_ for a safe delivery or birth. Some reach for the _ema_ if their specific needs aren't met by the ready made charms. They usually take longer to disperse as they must word their wish properly and then find a way to leave it on the designated wall stand without embarrassment. Older people would seek out placards to ward off evil energy and promote good health. Children would spend too much time trying to put off purifying their hands in the frigid water if they didn't fling it at their siblings or friends before their parents or guardians could get them in hand.

All generally seemed to find a reason to dawdle. The _Jinja _was a comfortable space to meet in and many hadn't been out to the shrine since the warm weather left them behind. Some felt guilty at the gap of so much time. Most were unconsciously reacting to the easing of their stresses down in town and enjoyed the brief respite all unknowing. They reacted to her _reiki_ despite not knowing it existed. Even the _youkai_ that came to camouflage their heritage and knew her power were comforted by the emotional shelter this shrine offered.

Kagome didn't think she could ever live anywhere else now. She was reliant on the emotional balm this place had given her. She still ached and some wounds occasionally flared up with a rawness that wouldn't fade, but it wasn't as bad as she could have been without it. Her broom moved over the grounds and she followed, ignoring the sharp pain that the vibrations engendered in her old wounds.

Peace in the shrine was never so disrupted as during the regular rites celebrated here. Kagome smiled, as exhausting as it could be, she genuinely enjoyed the occasional chaos. Emotions ran high in jubilation and hope, especially when the year was so young. It was a new year with a new hope that things would change, improve, or at least not get worse. Everyone had just finished their deep house cleaning, purging their homes of excess clutter and dust. A clean house made one feel as if the world were made clean as well.

She liked even better that there was a deadline for it to stop as well. Kagome breathed in deeply and held the chilled air in her expanded lungs for a moment before letting it back out. The shrine was her home and while it was sometimes enlivening to have company, it was better that her guests knew when to go home if nothing else. Most of the locals disregarded the proper etiquette required for visiting another's home because it was a shrine too.

Visitors treated the whole place like it was open to the public now. Kagome's grandfather used to bitch up a storm about the devolution of manners concerning shrine families. They were treated like celebrities in some areas because there was no more prominent figures in most towns smaller than Shizuoka or Okayama. They weren't plagued by paparazzi, no pictures were taken, but they were often the subject of gossip and their privacy was just as disrupted.

The problem was a result of the untamed and unregulated trait of curiosity. People wanted to **know** everything. What made the shrine families different? Why were they so respected? How did they straddle the unstable ground of negotiation between species? Couldn't any normal person do that?

The questions eroded respect for privacy and admiration for ability. There were no secrets found in the blood. Ordinary people **could** do the same work, if they trained into it. Nobody bothered to realize that it was training that set shrine families apart. Not inheritance. Not blood. Not species. Education and a willingness to serve the greater good at some personal expense. The rewards were not coin or respect or admiration. It wasn't even personal as often other aspects of a shrine family's life suffered beyond the negotiations and treaties and politics. Some shrine families lacked emotional warmth inside the bloodline as they were often called away from family milestones and events to handle something of more public import. Expectations ran deep for the bloodlines to keep to the same calling as had been met by ancestors before.

Kagome had learned at the shrine school that she had been lucky in her family ties. Even with a mother who didn't support her dream and a deceased father, she was still better off than some of the others there. She had not befriended many at the school. There were not many willing to open up, their family life had taught them against it. Emotional growth and family bonds were harder to develop in a family where all the adults were always called away on shrine business. There were some who had been forced to find support from siblings until even that bond was betrayed by the shrine calling with admission into adulthood. She'd been lucky in that her mother wasn't shrine family by a stronger bond than marriage and her grandfather was too old to be called away from the shrine anymore.

It had been one more reason Kagome had refused to pursue shrine life for her future. She'd never wanted to choose between her family and her duty. Not that being a trauma surgeon wouldn't be exceedingly demanding on her time too. She sighed one long gust of moist air out over slightly chapped lips. A surgeon was half expected to be selfish sometimes where a shrine family was not. Shrine family members couldn't say 'no' to a summons. A surgeon could.

A trauma surgeon actually did so on more occasions than Kagome probably would have. Often times putting a patient under the knife immediately after trauma was dangerous. The patient had likely bled too much or was too shocky to risk anesthetic or surgery. Sometimes other mitigating factors made cutting a person open hazardous. In the end, surgery could be better avoided than actively pursued in many trauma cases.

All of which was neither here nor there. Kagome could never become a surgeon now. Instead she was a small shrine family all by herself. One without the acceptance of the human community she served. The _youkai_ treated her well enough, what few she interacted with.

"Higurashi-_san_," Sesshoumaru called from the charm booth by the _torii_. He had finished his portion of the grounds and she was almost done. They were lucky that temperatures hadn't fluctuated wildly between the day and night hours this year. Ice was a bigger problem when it did. Still, caution would prevent more injuries than assumption.

Kagome collected her broom from her impromptu helper and returned both brooms to behind the partition. Normally she would put them away in the shed properly, but if it began to snow during the day, they would be needed. She retrieved the bucket of gray sand she used to offer traction on the thinnest, most difficult to see layers of ice. This was the type that created a slick spot in one spot or two rather than creating large patches.

Sesshoumaru took the scoop from the bucket to his cleared area and started sprinkling the sand needed over there. They worked silently in the quiet dark of morning. Kagome wasn't generally talkative this early in the day and her experiences with the tall _inu_ lead her to believe he wasn't much for words at any time of day.

"What else needs to be done?" Sesshoumaru asked when he returned to drop the excess sand back into the bucket.

Before she could answer a young enthusiastic voice called out from the beneath the _torii_. "Higurashi-_sama_!"

Kagome turned to look that way, slightly surprised that one of her volunteers had turned up already. "Fujimoto-_san_!" she addressed Tasuke in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"_Baa_-_chan_ said it was alright for me to volunteer today since we made our visit yesterday and I've already told people at school I intend to apply for the part-time position as soon as I'm eligible," the fox rushed to get out. He'd been a great help to Natsuo when she visited Kagome the last few months. It had seemed he came up more often than even the old nurse did. The _kitsune_ paused in his excitement as he took in her guest.

Kagome wanted to laugh that Tasuke had been so focused on volunteering at the shrine that he had missed the powerful _youki_ present beside her. "Sesshoumaru-_sama_," the male was breathless in his awe and embarrassment. The shrine keeper imagined that now Tasuke was fully aware of who he'd ignored in his excitement, the fox was keen to make up for it but unsure as to how.

"Fujimoto-_san_," Kagome called his attention back to her over the grunted hum of her _inu_ guest. "Could you get the _amazake_ table ready for the day?"

"Eh? Um? Sure," Tasuke nodded uncertainly before dashing in that direction.

The fox's presence could be dangerous for him if he addressed Sesshoumaru differently from the way everyone around him did. It was a risk to allow him to volunteer, but Natsuo was probably right in that his expressed future intentions to work at the shrine made his desire to work here today quite safe. But the fox elder hadn't known their esteemed _daijin_ would be present.

Kagome sighed, "Sesshoumaru-_dono_, would it be all right if I directed the volunteers to address you in the same manner as I do today? They will be representing the shrine and temporarily serving as shrine family."

Sesshoumaru's eyes had shifted to her curiously and she discreetly sent her own gaze to Tasuke in silent communication. "Hn," came the nondescript sound she heard most often from him.

"In this case, Sesshoumaru-_dono_, I would feel more comfortable with a definitive answer," she grumbled quietly. "Your people offer you great respect and while I would never seek to diminish - "

"This Sesshoumaru thanks you for working so hard to protect my people," the _inu_ cut in. "Your request is considerate and suitable. You may direct your temporary staff as you believe will offer them most safety in this situation."

"I thank you for such an allowance," Kagome nodded politely as more volunteers wandered up the white gravel path. The volunteers were mostly older adults who had become single through the passing of years. Teenagers occasionally volunteered in hopes, like Tasuke, that doing so would boost their chances of claiming the assistant spot come spring. Every few years, some teenager would be sentenced to community service as punishment for some behavioral problem.

The widower, Liu Wen, volunteered nearly every year. Kagome followed her uncle's example by setting the half-Chinese man to work the Charm booth. It was part of the _Hatsumode_ experience to buy charms of "old man Wen" while trying to dodge his efforts to educate all comers on the meanings and necessity of thanking the _kami_ for all blessings gained and lost. Mattaki had confided in Kagome that, were it not for his age, Wen would have been his choice to inherit after him. Unfortunately, Wen was of similar age to her great uncle and while he **had** outlived Higurashi Mattaki, he was not likely to do so for long.

What Kagome had figured out on her own was that age was only part of the reason. Wen's half foreign ancestry would have caused serious breech between the town and the shrine. One he wouldn't live long enough or have the energy to mend before his time was up.

"Higurashi-_chan_," Wen greeted her gruffly, his steely eyed gaze glaring suspiciously behind her at the pale _youkai_ lingering there. "What's this stranger?"

Date Kaede huffed at the old man's demanding tone. Her one eye reproving him the more strongly for the lack of its pair. "You mouldering old fool," she growled at him. "'Tis clear he is here in some official capacity. You'll make outsiders think us barbarians without manners."

"Now, now," Kagome winced. The pair were about as amicable as Ryoichi and Natsuo. With so few staff members volunteering there wasn't much of a buffer to be had between the two that would stall arguments. "We are being honored with a visit by Sesshoumaru-_dono_ and we will offer him polite respect as he observes and assists our work today."

"Sesshoumaru-_**dono**_?" Wen was incredulous. "I am older than that pretty half man. He should be offering us respect."

"If Higurashi-_san_ instructs us to address this stranger with respect, she does so for good reason, you blowhard," Kaede declared sweetly. "This **is** a shrine and appearances can be deceiving. Unless, of course, you believe yourself older than _kami_?"

"Hn," came the quiet sound of stoic observation over Kagome's shoulder and she had to resist the urge to cringe. Kaede and Wen were usually very helpful even in the midst of their most explosive altercations. Mattaki had told her stories from years before her transplantation where the two had devolved into waving canes and tossing pebbles at each other across the opening of the _torii_. He'd had to threaten to bar them from working the shrine ever again to get them to behave.

"Meddling woman," Wen grumbled sourly.

"Sesshoumaru-_dono_ is also older than you both," Kagome smiled tightly. "As such he deserves the respect of rank **and** age. We are pleased he honored us with a visit and blessed that he chooses to help." The old man snarled at her words before performing a creditable stomp to the charm booth despite his bad knees and smooth walking cane.

"Hopefully our guest will not tax the curmudgeon's politeness too much," Kaede grinned saucily before sauntering to her designated station by the purifying trough. "It's always best to let the old windbag distract himself with the young people's attempted evasions." Kaede was another regular volunteer. The stout, older woman was a very managing sort. She'd been attempting to manage Liu Wen since her retirement, years before Kagome arrived at the shrine. Such was why they got along so poorly, Wen resented the attempt and Kaede refused to quit trying.

Kagome's smile remained strained as the last of her expected volunteers made an appearance.

Fuse Etsuko was a divorcee who volunteered at the shrine to distract herself from her empty house. Kagome wasn't fully vested in all the details, but she understood the inability to conceive had played some part in the dissolution of her marriage. She was a solemn, quiet woman. Cutoff from any family that would want to see her over the holiday.

"Higurashi-_san_," the dark eyed woman nodded politely.

"Ah, Fuse-_san_," Kagome greeted her back. It was hard to feel anything for Etsuko beyond deep sympathy. All of her trust had been broken because of something her body was incapable of doing. Kagome wanted to travel back in time and defend the somber woman from everyone that had abandoned her for something she couldn't control. "If you could assist Liu-_san_ today, it would be most beneficial. He's in a bit of a mood upon discovering Sesshoumaru-_dono_'s presence." Kagome waved Fuse's attention towards the silent _youkai_ still hovering over her shoulder. "I hate to condemn you to Liu-_san_'s censure, but-"

"It is alright, Higurashi-_san_," Etsuko broke in. "There are not many who like change or surprises. Welcome, Sesshoumaru-_dono_," the woman bowed. "It is hoped you will think highly of our hospitality after this visit. If you sing our praises perhaps we will be honored with a visit from the esteemed Masashi-_dono_."

Kagome's smile was less polite and more surprised. "Masashi-_dono_ rarely leaves Tokyo anymore, but it would be a great honor if he were to deign to visit," was her cautious answer. "Fuse-_san_ don't volunteer Sesshoumaru-_dono_'s relationship to the _youkai _ruler to anyone who doesn't prove to already know."

"No worries, Higurashi-_san_," Fuse Etsuko smirked with the first show of amusement Kagome had ever seen from her. "If I learned anything from my failed marriage, it's how to mitigate the fits of small-minded, ego filled people terrified to find out how unimportant they truly are in the great scheme of things." The woman walked sedately over to set up behind the charm booth, helping Liu Wen to achieve a more solid perch on the stool provided for his use.

"Ah," Kagome observed quietly, unsure of how exactly she was meant to respond to that assertion but clearly not expected to. Fuse had obviously moved on with her day and it was a strong sign that Kagome needed to do the same. "I'd like you to work with Tasuke-_san_, Sesshoumaru-_dono_," she turned her attention to the hulking mass behind her. "He's seen as underage and will likely be harassed by his classmates attempting to purloin more _amazake_ than their parents approve of."

Left unsaid was the reality that she couldn't really place the _youkai_ in any other station. The purifying trough was infused with _reiki_ to help keep the water clean. She couldn't heat it and she wasn't supposed to add anything to it to keep it from freezing, but Kagome could infuse the trough with her energy to keep it from growing anything hazardous for everyone's health year round. Too much time around strong _youki_ would cancel out her efforts. The same could be said about the _ema_ and _omamori_. While the charms wouldn't actually answer wishes for good luck of any kind, the exposure to her healing energy stored in the paper and wood could counteract some minor health problems. In youkai, it would merely make them feel alert, sharpening their senses to help maintain whatever subterfuge brought them to the shrine in the first place. It was really only a minuscule amount of _reiki_ present.

But to allow Sesshoumaru and Tasuke or any other _youkai_ to linger around them would neutralize what _reiki _was there.

"Fujimoto-_san_, Sesshoumaru-_dono_ will be sitting with you for most of the day," Kagome didn't want to assume Sesshoumaru wouldn't wander around briefly. He wasn't exactly committing to anything here. In a quieter voice she continued, "He has agreed to allow you to address him as a shrine employee instead of as an unaffiliated person." Despite her lowered volume, she still didn't risk anything but a cryptic message. Date Kaede and Liu Wen had both proven to have sharp hearing before. Neither would intentionally spread gossip, but when they argued loudly, as always, they didn't need to tell anybody anything.

It was one of the few things everyone in the area could count on. Kaede and Wen would argue about **everything**, and when they really got going they expressed themselves in excessive volume. Kagome always knew what the town rumors were without needing an informant actually ensconced in the gossip network. It was inevitable that Kaede and Wen would be found arguing over the latest rumors – usually not whether it was true, but whether the people around them should be allowed to perpetuate such nonsense, more especially when the latest rumor concerned the shrine.

Some days Kagome found that argument funny, since people had always talked about shrine families. There were many strange things assumed about _shinto_ officials throughout time. So the continuing gossip of today was just as customary as the rites and celebrations conducted in shrines throughout the year.

Most days, Kagome simply shrugged it off, absorbing the latest theory for which non-human creature she was supposed to be this time, or what scandal had been assigned to her name and moving on with her day. Information about what scandals were current in _Nishi no Mura_ were important as such troubles often sought out the _kami_ for comfort and direction.

Fewer days than formerly, Kagome struggled not to take the latest accusations being pandered about by her judgmental neighbors personally. She was only human and hearing some of the more negative opinions about her character on a day that was already difficult could send her into a fit of bitter tears. It happened less often now that she had Naoki and Oki to keep her company, despite Inuyasha's pointed disruptions. It was good to be needed and allowed to supply that need without criticism.

"Fujimoto-_san_, did you find everything you needed?" Kagome asked the _kitsune_. She didn't know Tasuke's exact age. She didn't know if he was of the correct maturity to be called an adolescent or a young adult. She could only assume his experience by the strength of his illusions.

"Everything was easy to find," the young male assured her. "I imagine it would have been harder if it hadn't all been used yesterday," his grin was cheerful and communicated a lot more than dangerous words could be allowed. "Is Sesshoumaru-_dono_ here to guard me?" Canny, disguised green eyes darted to the observant golden of the stoic _daijin_.

"I don't want you to be overwhelmed," Kagome offered gently. Tasuke, being _youkai_, could probably more than handle the job even if the crowds were demanding and excessively huge. That is, if he wasn't worried about exposing himself by utilizing more than human speed and strength. The kids seeking to sneak more than their parents allowed would be hard tasked to move under his senses. But again, the subterfuge he lived under would effect what Tasuke could do about it.

Sesshoumaru would not be so limited.

What Kagome wouldn't say to either male, was that being in charge of the _amazake_ stand would help protect Sesshoumaru from too much crowding for **other** reasons. Parents of teenagers **would** limit time spent near that table, more than an oblivious mother or father might restrict access to a male of Sesshoumaru's appearance and rank. Harassment of celebrities was a hazard difficult to mitigate without overt efforts to do it.

Kagome left the slightly awed Tasuke and underwhelmed Sesshoumaru to get situated and figure out how to deal with each other. The crunch of guests on the gravel was already starting and she needed to be in position to receive them with words of ceremony and greeting.

There wasn't a specific script to follow. There were no ritual words that had to be said. Every shrine handled _Hatsumode _slightly differently. Uncle Mattaki had instructed Kagome to greet her visitors after purification and respects were paid but before charms and _amazake_ were received. She was to greet them politely, offer words of well-wishing and encouragement followed by one specifically tailored personal comment. Such proved her care for the community and brightened the outlook of everyone that came to the shrine. Or so he'd believed.

Kagome had found that no matter how sincere her concern and wishes for the year developing around them, most patrons sneered at her expressions of interest. The politest would merely dismiss her words and continue on with their visit. Most would huff in indignation that she knew anything about their business, certain Kagome's knowledge was merely used as backhanded criticism or future blackmail. The particularly rude ones would turn around and yell.

The absolute worst were the arrogantly snide members of the community. Such as Hamasaki and his increasingly ill-behaved daughter. They were also nosy and not shy of making inquiries about things they had no business knowing.

"Ah, Higurashi-_san_," the mayor sidled out of the main path of shrine goers to extend the conversation he wanted to have. "We seem to have a visitor."

As expected, Sesshoumaru had caught quite a lot of attention. There was no avoiding it as the _amazake_ dispenser was stationed just inside the _torii_ gates across from the _omamori_ booth. The stands were tucked against the edge of the shrine grounds out of direct sight from the gravel path, but most people noticed him once they reached for the dippers to wash their hands. His coloring made it difficult to escape detection.

"Sesshoumaru-_dono_ is here to observe and assist for his own purposes," Kagome answered blandly. It was the only answer she would give. It was the only answer that wouldn't endanger those who needed protection.

"What happened to your "Equal respect" crap?" Sumiko demanded haughtily. "I always knew you were a hypocrite! Papa is the mayor here and you don't recognize him for it."

"Sumiko, be quiet!" the mayor growled at his daughter sternly.

Kagome glanced at the smug teenager. "Were there another person here of similar recognized rank and service, they would receive the same address," the words were formal and flat. "Sesshoumaru-_dono_ is the _youkai_ _daijin_ of this region. He assisted in the efforts that ultimately resulted in the uniting of _youkai_ powers and giving us this lasting greater peace we currently enjoy."

"You allow a demon here?" Sumiko hissed, scandalized.

"This is a shrine," the _Jinja no Sewanin_ returned bluntly. Her blue eyes seeking out her guest in hopes of preventing a regrettable display that might insult the mayor and his brat. The exalted _youkai_ had moved away from the _amazake_ table to approach Kagome and her current company.

"This Sesshoumaru must express his deep admiration for your level of patience in the face of such ignorant disrespect," the _inu_ called to her from some distance away. Movement in the immediate area stopped as individuals tensed, trying to interpret his words as compliment or insult.

Kagome remained silent even as he ceased walking mere steps to the left of her, his golden eyes sweeping in a quick flick to the mayor and his stunned daughter. "This one would not have near so much tolerance for this degree of blatant rudeness before either refusing to deal with such unworthy miscreants or teaching better manners with violence," he continued to make his meaning abundantly clear.

"How dare you-" Sumiko glared until her father cut her off with a sharp hiss and tight grip on her arm. "Ow!"

"Shut up!" Hamasaki gruffly ordered his unruly scion. "Perhaps our visitor does not fully understand all the nuances of the situation he finds himself in."

Sesshoumaru turned his full attention on the human mayor bruising his daughter under his watch. "As Higurashi-_san_ has responded to many an inquiry into my presence, observation is partly the reason for my presence here. After several hours of watching interactions between what should be your respected shrine official and the local people, watching her be dismissed and sneered at and listening to many slanderous comments made towards her person without basis, it is doubtful there is much about this situation beyond the grasp of even a toddler," the _youkai_ denied the claim of partial ignorance in himself. "She stands as your greatest proponent for continued peace and prosperity, performing her duties with dedication and at cost to herself, and you treat Higurashi-_san_ like she is your enemy." His eyes narrowed at the oily man. "You dislike the _Jinja no Sewanin_ because she does not care to take part in your political aspirations. Shrines exist outside of elections, popular or otherwise. Their task is far more narrow than governing a town, state, region, or country, but it is far more vital with far-reaching consequences if they were to blow it off."

"Do not belittle me, _youkai_!" Hamasaki demanded.

"Then correct your ignorance and respect the shrine for the vital work it does to insure you have a town to be a mayor of," Sesshoumaru growled thunderously, throwing a shade over the smaller male's efforts to sound fierce and dangerous.

"Ah," Kagome tried to neutralize the situation. "Perhaps Sesshoumaru-_dono_ could use a break. This visit was not planned and is not a regular part of his usual duties."

"What have you done that he needed to come here in the first place?" Sumiko snidely demanded. "Are the people in charge finally realizing you shouldn't be here?"

Kagome sighed as her effort to soothe ruffled feathers abruptly went up in smoke.

"This visit has convinced this Sesshoumaru that you are not deserving of having a shrine to protect you at all," the _inu_ declared lowly. "Better to have such stupidity wiped out of the human gene pool than to allow it to propagate and spread. No malignant infection this virulent needs to gain purchase in the greater populace."

"How dare you call me a disease!" Sumiko screeched unpleasantly. "You just need to take this _bakeneko_ bitch out of here and go away. You're not wanted here!"

"Further proof of the rampant ignorance plaguing this place," Sesshoumaru boldly stated. "Higurashi is so human she was sent to the shrine school to learn control of her human specific spirit energy. No _youkai_ can contain, possess or use such powers as _youki_ and _reiki_ negate each other when held in balance. In the absence of balance, one destroys the other. She blesses your shrine with her strength, and you believe her to be _youkai_," he nearly scoffed at the ludicrous notion. "Not only _youkai_ but one that is incredibly rare and short-lived. Do you learn nothing in your schools this far north?"

"Sesshoumaru-_dono_," Kagome called in a restraining tone. She didn't particularly like bandying it about that she **had **_reiki_. High school had proven how this seeming gift could be turned into as much of a curse as being part of a shrine family. More so, because it set her apart even further. Despite the fact her energy could cause the most harm to _youkai_, it was the humans around her that had the more negative reaction.

Her mother had tried to tell Kagome it was due to jealousy, but her mother's explanations for things were suspect since everything boiled down to Higurashi Akina's desire for Kagome's life to turn out "normal". Kagome could no more believe her mother's views about her peers' reactions to _reiki_ than she could accept that same mother's definition of beauty. Akina was biased.

"Sumiko, desist!" Hamasaki hissed at the unruly girl.

"Sesshoumaru-_dono_, the shrine in this area is old and integral to more than just the local town," Kagome tried to derail the situation. "There is no reason to close it without a real cause."

"Better a closed shrine than one that is compromised!" Sumiko scoffed before hissing in pain as her father's grip tightened again. "Let go! You're hurting me!"

"Hamasaki-_san_, I must insist you release your daughter," Kagome reinforced the brat's demands. "I cannot stand by and witness abuse." The mayor glared at her before throwing Sumiko's arm away from him.

"Hn," Sesshoumaru commented as his narrowed eyes watched the girl rub at her bruised arm.

"What's the to do!_" _Liu Wen demanded as he stumped over to the scene. "You're holding up traffic and disrespecting the _kami_!" His glare encompassed all four of them severely. The old man's cane came to a solid rest on top of the mayor's big toe.

The mayor let out a sharp sound of protest before jerking his foot out from under the flat end of the wooden cane. "Please watch where you put that, Liu-_san_," Hamasaki Shin got out from between gritted teeth. For all Liu Wen's faults, he was a well known elder in the community. There weren't many who liked him or took the old man seriously, but no one would openly condone rudeness towards him for anything.

"Sesshoumaru-_dono_ and Hamasaki-_san_ were having a mild disagreement," Kagome answered Old Man Wen. There was still hope that she could fully defuse the situation. Wen wasn't the best way to do it, but he was all she had to work with. It would be more effective if Sumiko wasn't working against her.

The teenager snorted derisively. "It wasn't a disagreement," she asserted boldly. "That pretty man insulted us!"

Liu Wen looked the girl up and down, "And? You probably deserved it."

Sumiko turned red at the assessment. "He called us ignorant!"

"Which you are," the elder returned solidly. "Insulting the _Jinja no Sewanin_ is foolish, disrespectful and only proves your ignorance. I over heard you just yesterday gossiping down at the convenience store over which type of _youkai_ Higurashi-_san_ might be. A real _youkai_ would definitely take insult on her behalf because your words are not driven by real evidence. You just don't like her!"

"Hn," Sesshoumaru agreed softly.

"She shouldn't even **be** here!" Sumiko insisted. "We don't need her!"

"Sumiko be quiet!" the mayor ordered his daughter ineffectively.

"You don't like her either," Sumiko accused her father.

"Higurashi-_san_ could be more involved in the community," Hamasaki hedged.

"The shrine has always abstained from town politics," Wen scoffed. "Mayors come and go, the shrine duties remain the same. Puffed up bullies like you make it harder."

"Watch what you say old man," Hamasaki Shin growled.

"Don't try to police me, Hamasaki Shin," Liu Wen growled right back. "I remember when you were just the biggest kid on the play ground stealing lunch money."

"I am not a child any more," the mayor declared in his defense.

Kagome watched all this at a loss. The situation spun further out of control as Kaede abandoned her post to enter the fray.

"Surely this loud discussion could be conducted elsewhere," the old woman scolded the group. "This is a shrine. This is _Hatsumode_ there is no reason to interrupt the rites observed by others because you can't act respectful towards place and time."

"We respect those who deserve it!" Sumiko insisted.

"Then you think too highly of yourself," Liu Wen muttered. "Higurashi-_san_ and Sesshoumaru-_dono_ deserve your respect since they help insure you have a safe place to live and be a spoiled brat in."

"How dare you!" Sumiko hollered.

"He is right dear," Date Kaede added gently. "You are not the most important person in _Nishi no Mura_. Other people are your equals and deserve your consideration and courtesy. There are elders who could teach you lessons about the world and survival, about history and economics. They deserve your respect for their greater experience. You and many of your peers choose to scoff at us instead of listening, maintaining your ignorance with an air of disrespectful disregard."

"Hn, Ignorance and Disrespect," Sesshoumaru repeated with disdain.

"Shut up!" Sumiko huffed.

"I must insist you treat Sesshoumaru-_dono_ with respect," Kaede admonished the girl. "He is a _youkai_ _daijin_ with limited patience."

"He shouldn't even **be** here," Sumiko insisted. "He wouldn't be here if not for her!" the teenager flung a wildly gesturing arm in Kagome's direction, nearly striking Liu Wen and Date Kaede where they stood.

"Nonsense," Kaede dismissed the accusation. "Higurashi-_san_ is unlikely to be the sole draw for a _youkai _of Sesshoumaru-_dono_'s rank. There are _youkai_ who live in this area that are beholden to his father's rule and his own. We do not live alone in the world."

"If the _Jinja no Sewanin_ was doing her job they wouldn't be there at all," Sumiko glared at the old woman.

"They have always been there," Kaede pointed out. "They were there before humans were."

"Then the shrine fails to serve its purpose," Sumiko declared.

"We are not exterminators!" Kagome couldn't help but interject.

"_Youkai_ are not mere pests," Sesshoumaru added. "Were this Sesshoumaru more petty, your words and behavior could be used to incite violence against your pitiful human settlement."

Kagome flinched. She would have to protect the local humans from the _youkai_ and she would likely die from the effort. She was probably the most powerful human born from a shrine family in recent history, but she was still human. She would tire before being able to completely eliminate the threat. If Sesshoumaru incited the _youkai_ of this region to act, the conclusion was foregone.

"But this Sesshoumaru refuses to cause harm to Higurashi-_san _simply because the people she is duty bound to protect fail to teach their children basic allowable behavior," the _inu_ growled at the teen. "She will do her duty and strive to protect you. She will die for the effort and she does not deserve it. Her death would be pointless because you would still die."

"Are you threatening me?" Sumiko mocked him.

"Hn," Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at the foolish female.

"It is a warning," Date Kaede translated. "Hamasaki Shin-_san_ has certainly failed to bring you up properly."

"I find that insulting," the mayor protested.

"Hmph!" Liu Wen harrumphed loudly. "More like he raised her in his image."

Kagome wanted to groan, this was a disaster. She must not have completely stifled the urge because Sesshoumaru directed his next words her way.

"If it comes to it, this Sesshoumaru will incapacitate the_ Jinja no Sewanin_ before allowing anything to happen here," the northern _daijin_'s words were serious and her eyes went wide. "It will prevent serious injury being brought down upon the one person who is completely undeserving of it."

"_Youkai_-lover," Sumiko sneered. "The only reason for these creatures to be so worried about her if she's not a _youkai_ is if she is a whore to one."

"Oh give me a break," Kagome gave up trying to be stoic in the face of this insanity. Her hands came up to rub over her face in frustration and consternation. She was really beginning to hate this latest generation of girls. The jumping from one conclusion to another without any reason was getting on her last nerve.

"See! She hides her face in shame!" Sumiko smugly pointed at the older woman.

"Higurashi-_san_ likely is stunned that you could make such stupid assumptions," Sesshoumaru glowered at the brat. "This Sesshoumaru could tell you precisely what each of your recent ancestors was, and I can assure you, you shouldn't be so derogatory towards anyone you suspect of cross species affections."

The group stood shocked silent for a moment before Sumiko lunged for the tall _youkai_ in insulted rage. Kagome jumped forward to block the unschooled strike, absorbing the blow on the back of her shoulder rather than allowing it to hit her guest. If the teenager managed to land a hit on Sesshoumaru, he could maim her in retaliation without repercussions. She wasn't expecting to be cut.

"Higurashi! You're bleeding!"

Sesshoumaru steadied Kagome as she began to sink to the ground after falling against him. Kaede and the mayor held Sumiko away as Fuse bolted from behind the charm stand. Over a dozen townspeople milled about the shrine grounds gawking.

"It's not deep," Kagome shook her head, her voice calm as Sesshoumaru's long tapered fingers pressed some of the excess fabric of her robes into the wound to staunch the flow of blood. "Fuse-_san_, there's a first aid kit on the table in my quarters. Fujimoto-_san_ could you call your grandmother. I can't see the wound very well, let alone reach it for cleaning and bandaging." The assigned pair shoved through the crowd to achieve their tasks. "Date-_san_ could you call law enforcement? We'll need to make a statement and press charges."

"Surely, you won't hold Sumiko-_chan_ responsible for -" Hamasaki Shin tried to talk Kagome out of bringing in the authorities.

"Hamasaki-_san_, if Sumiko-_san_ had managed to hit Sesshoumaru-_dono_, she'd be missing limbs right now," Kagome glared sternly at the elected official. "If the northern _daijin_ were less indulgent, she could have instigated a cross species incident that would have wiped this town and the people in it off the map completely. Be thankful she will only have to face the human police."

"What?" Sumiko shrieked. "He said-"

"He said he could tell exactly what your ancestors were," Kagome cut her off. "Sesshoumaru-_dono_ can do that, his breed of _youkai_ can identify species markers from the scent you give off just standing there. He likewise stated that you shouldn't be so prejudiced about where other people place their affections across species lines."

"He implied -" Sumiko continued to argue, pushing against a couple of fishermen that had stepped in when Kaede was required to step away to make her call.

"It does not matter what Sesshoumaru-_dono_ implied," Kaede cut in sharply. "He did not reach out to **hit** you."

"Almost rather Higurashi had let the brat hit him," Liu Wen grumbled. "It might have taught her a real lesson to be short an arm."

"Liu Wen!" Kaede gasped. "You take that back!"

"I won't!" the old man shook his head. "The problem with this generation is their lack of accountability. They never suffer the full consequences for their actions! They're a coddled bunch of spoiled ninnies who will bring about the end of this country as we know it!"

Fuse shoved through the crowd, the case of first aid materials being used as a battering ram for the particularly stubborn impediments to her path. "Here, Higurashi-_san_!" the woman knelt down behind Kagome before opening the case. "You seem to be low on disinfectant."

"I haven't had a chance to restock since the last time I used it," Kagome explained before gasping in pain when Fuse Etsuko ripped the tear in the cloth over the wound wider so she could see what she was working on.

"Well, it's not deep, but it is long and in a bad place," Etsuko pronounced as she got a good look at it. Sesshoumaru stood up from his crouch in front of Kagome to look at it himself. "What I don't understand is how she cut you at all. I didn't see her pull a weapon. Unless she had it in her hand the whole time there should have been no way for her to cut through cloth to slice you at all."

Sumiko was wearing gloves like everyone else who'd finished at the _haiden_. No jewelry worn would have cut through both Kagome's robe and the thermal garment underneath to reach the meat of her shoulder. The girl didn't have claws, which would have been hampered greatly by the gloves anyway.

Kagome's sharp blue eyes darted to the sound of something metal dropping to the paving stones underfoot. One of the fishermen had reached for Sumiko's hands and squeezed her wrist until the teenager dropped the knife she'd concealed along the forefinger of one glove. The blade wasn't long or sinister looking despite its dark color. It was stained with Kagome's blood and looked less than well cared for indicating there was a tetanus shot in the caretaker's future.

Its presence raised questions though. Sumiko must have planned to use it on somebody if she'd been carrying it around. No one had known Sesshoumaru was going to drop in, so he couldn't have been the original target. Kagome closed her eyes and wanted to groan.

There was more than one way to get a _youkai_ to reveal its true self while under glamour. Physical pain was one of them. Most _youkai_ that suffered a severe enough injury would revert to their natural state. Once again Sumiko was trying to prove Kagome wasn't human. It was only Sesshoumaru pissing the teenager off that changed the original plan, though the original target had been hit anyway.

"This was premeditated," Kagome observed aloud. "She consciously brought a knife here to harm someone."

"You can't prove that," Hamasaki insisted.

"Then why was she carrying a knife that blends in with her gloves?" Kagome asked. "It is not a common color for a blade to be. Unless you're going to tell us your daughter doesn't think the town you're in charge of is safe enough to go out on public streets without carrying a knife?"

The mayor shut up. One of the platforms he'd continued to win elections on was the fact the local crime rate was so low. The town was safe, he claimed responsibility for that statistic and its continuation. If Hamasaki Shin now confessed that his own daughter didn't feel safe in his "safe town" it would undermine his electability next term renewal. Not that having his daughter nearly start a species war during _Hatsumode_ wasn't likely to hurt him already.

Kagome hissed as Fuse daubed a cotton ball soaked in clean water over the wound attempting to clean it and the skin around it.

"Sorry, Higurashi-_san_," Fuse apologized.

"It's all right," Kagome shook her head. "We need to get it clean."

"Out of the way!" Fujimoto Natsuo shouldered her way through the crowd. "What are you all standing around for? Surely there's something you should be doing. If you're going to stick around some of you could probably be helping out the shrine itself. You know it doesn't run itself!" The disguised _kitsune_ began directing members of the crowd to either disperse or start working as volunteers. With her direction, the charm booth, the _amazake_ table and the purification trough were soon restaffed and the stream of people was once again moving smoothly through the _torii_. "Higurashi-_san_, are you unable to move without hurting yourself?"

"I thought it was better to keep Sesshoumaru-_dono_ from maiming a teen-aged attacker than to allow Hamasaki Sumiko-_san_ to hit him," Kagome dragged her head back to look up at the approaching nurse.

"Should have let the brat suffer the consequences of striking the _youkai daijin_," Liu Wen scoffed before returning to his preferred post in the charm booth.

"Sumiko did this?" Natsuo slid in behind Kagome once Fuse gave up the spot.

"It seems to have been a planned effort to expose Higurashi-_san_ as _youkai_ again," Sesshoumaru informed the fox.

Green eyes widened in surprise at Sesshoumaru's presence and words but quickly reverted to inspecting Kagome's wounds. "Do we know what she cut you with?"

"The weapon has been recovered," Kaede announced, holding the bloody blade out for Natsuo's inspection, careful to avoid touching it with anything but the clean tissues used to pick it up with. "My boys should be here any -"

The sober uniforms didn't really stand out as they approached, it was more the annoyed expressions on the face of the local cops that gave them away. Clearly this ruckus had pulled them away from family festivities and they didn't appreciate it.

"What is it this time Date-_san_?" the first of the pair demanded in a beleaguered tone. His partner came up behind him looking equally certain there was no reason for them to be present or involved.

"Don't talk to me like I constantly call in false alarms," Kaede admonished the pair. "I ran this town like a tight ship . Even when I thought something was a waste of time I ran it down all the way." Kagome imagined if the pair of officers that served her area weren't already somewhat seasoned in their jobs as long as they were, the men would have rolled their eyes at the old woman. "Use your eyes! Observe the situation you incompetents!"

"Date-_san_," Fuse called, rushing over to the retired law woman. "Mind your blood pressure."

"I am minding it," Kaede scoffed. "Tell them to mind their job. They were trained better than to walk into a situation where a single person is being restrained and a second is being seen to by medical personnel. It doesn't take rocket science to figure out one caused the harm to the other."

"I saw that," the vocal one acknowledged. "I also saw that the mayor's daughter was being held back from the _Jinja no Sewanin_ and a strange looking fellow not known in these parts. For all we know, he's the one who injured the caretaker and Sumiko was being held back to protect her."

"You are a fool," Kaede declared bluntly. "If such was the case, would not the mayor also be suffering from the same efforts of protection? Wouldn't both be swiftly removed from the area to prevent injury?"

The pair blinked at the old woman blankly. They really didn't care at this point. They just wanted to get back to their holiday plans.

Fuse decided to interrupt the staring contest that could clearly continue indefinitely. "Hamasaki's daughter attacked our esteemed guest and Higurashi-_san_ got caught in the middle trying to prevent a worse situation. No harm should have been done except it appears Sumiko-_chan_ planned to cause injury to someone by bringing and using a knife in the blow."

"The unknown person you are so quick to condemn is the Northern _youkai_ _daijin_, Sesshoumaru-_dono,_ son of the great Masashi," Kaede added dryly. "If Sumiko-_chan_ had managed to hit where she was aiming, we might now be burying her for the insult. We'd be lucky if the casualties ended there. Higurashi-_san_ chose to step in, as is her duty, and attempt to minimize the consequences of the ignorant, impulsive brat's actions. Now she must bear the insult of your bungling because you feel annoyed to be called from your lives to perform your duty, one you voluntarily swore to uphold at any time? You insult her dedication and pain with your petulance!"

"Come off it, Date-_san_," Hasegawa Eita scoffed. "Just because such a situation happened, the likelihood that anyone will press charges-"

"Is definite," Kagome cut in. "I will be pressing charges. Petty insults, I don't care about. False tales, I have no control over. But risking the lives of every man, woman and child in _Nishi no Mura_ because of bad personal behavior needs to be taken seriously and seriously dealt with. Sesshoumaru-_dono_ has been exceedingly lenient with us, but if he chose to take insult the town would be overrun with creatures we cannot all fight off or defeat. Her actions could set off a major conflict in this area, one which many would die from for no other reason than she didn't like what he said about her bad behavior."

"He insulted my father and the whole town!" Sumiko insisted.

"For the general bad treatment of your protector for petty reasons," Kaede pointed out. "Most of the people in _Nishi no Mura_ do not show Higurashi-_san_ proper respect or courtesy. It is not her fault Mattaki felt the need to look elsewhere for his successor. It is not her fault that she was chosen. Higurashi the former made a choice for the good of our future and you have done nothing but insult and condemn that choice because it wasn't what you thought it should be."

"Hn," Sesshoumaru snorted before returning his attention to Fujimoto Natsuo's efforts to staunch the bleeding.

"It's shallow at least," the nurse told Kagome, switching topics abruptly. "But it's in a bad place and a bit longer than I would like. I don't think it'll start healing without being closed with stitches and limiting the use of that arm."

Kagome sighed wearily, "I'd hoped it wouldn't come to that." She still had one more day of _Hatsumode_ before she could afford to allow herself to rest properly. "It'll have to wait then."

"I advise against that," Natsuo declared urgently.

"And I hear your reasoning, but there is only one _Jinja no Sewanin_ and I have to be here," Kagome insisted. "We can do something about it after the bulk of visitors have gone for the day. I'll wear a sling tomorrow to help the wound, but I'll still have to be here then too."

"They do not deserve such sacrifice," Sesshoumaru told her quietly.

Kagome smiled ruefully up to him, "Maybe you don't think they do, but I will do what I promised to do regardless of whether those who receive such a blessing deserve it. It is about personal integrity and I cannot compromise mine because you believe those who witness and benefit from it should be required to earn it first."

"Hn," Sesshoumaru responded taking her point.

"I don't like it either," Natsuo gave her input.

"I know," Kagome agreed. "You can have your revenge later when you stitch me up at the clinic."

"Hmmph!" the _kitsune_ grumbled on as she cleaned and carefully covered the sluggishly bleeding wound.

"You can't really mean to press charges against the Mayor's daughter," Hasegawa insisted.

"But she does," Kaede returned. "The Shrine caretaker has never played favorites or politics so when others might be too afraid or cowardly to do what is right because of social positioning, the shrines never do. They'd put their own people through the judicial system if it came to that. The proof is in how often they've done so in the past."

"Higurashi-_san_ is new to our town and does not fully understand the consequences of -" Hasegawa protested.

"Seven years is not new to an area," Sesshoumaru cut in, at least it wasn't for a human. Even for _youkai_ seven years was a bit long to consider someone new to an area, interacting with humans had tempered general held perceptions of relative newness. "This community is not so complex as to require more than a few weeks to understand the local politics. Higurashi-_san_ comprehends more than your ignorance would like to believe."

Kagome pushed herself up on to her feet. The move rocked her back a little as her head protested the abrupt change. A clawed hand settled against her uninjured shoulder to steady her. "I'm all right," she assured Sesshoumaru and Natsuo automatically. "Hasegawa-_san_, I will be pressing charges. Hamasaki Sumiko-_san_ will learn nothing from this if you allow her father's position to protect her from the consequences of assaulting another person. I would not be serving this community by allowing dangerous behaviors to go unpunished. Gossip as you like, laugh and snicker, vilify me if it makes you feel superior, but I will not allow anyone to compromise the peaceful relations between species in this area for no good reason."

"He slandered -" Sumiko burst out loudly.

"Nothing the _youkai_ _daijin_ said would result in the death of anyone involved," Kagome cut her off crisply. "The actions you took and the words you spat would."

"You heard the _Jinja no Sewanin_," Kaede barked at the two males that served as police officers during the winter months. "Take the brat into custody."

"Please do," Kagome encouraged the officers to get to their duty. "We have interrupted enough of the community's _Hatsumode_ experience for today. I would very much like to allow all those uninvolved to continue to enjoy their shrine visit."

The as yet silent officer opened his mouth to put his opinion out there and Kaede shot him a glare. "There is a difference between an officer of the law on call over a holiday and a group of uninvolved civilians who happen to visit the same place where an assault occurred," the older woman growled at him. "If you don't like the job, resign and be jobless, don't dishonor this town by complaining about it in front of a visiting dignitary." The male shut his mouth. "Now do what you were trained for like a grown adult already."

"I really don't like that you won't run down to the clinic," Natsuo fussed over Kagome. "You look flushed and your breathing is uneven."

"I'm fine," Kagome insisted stubbornly. "Your visit yesterday included a few words from the _Jinja no Sewanin_ and all the visitors this morning were offered the same. Everyone who visits for the rest of the day shall receive equal courtesy as will those who come tomorrow."

"I think those who really care about it would rather the _Jinja_ _no Sewanin_ maintain good health in place of offering such small blessings," Natsuo grumbled to herself. "You should reserve your strength for bigger things."

"One does not maintain a skill if it is never used," Kagome declared through gritted teeth. "Small blessings are practice worthy and do not drain reserves kept for the bigger things."

"Practice should only be performed when injuries are solidly on the mend or completely absent," the secret _kitsune_ returned.

"My _reiki_ wasn't injured," Kagome growled. "Words do not strain any physical wounds."

"Hn," Sesshoumaru cut across the covert argument, as amusing as it was to watch the two argue politely, it wasn't a productive use of time or energy.

Kagome's shoulders squared at the reminder of her current company and she turned back to her shrine work. Continuing to argue would be childish and achieve nothing. _Kitsune_ delighted in the kind of trickery that wasted time, but Kagome couldn't afford it. Once again she assured the pair of impatient, sullen members of the local law enforcement that she would be pressing charges. She tactfully shooed Liu Wen and Fuse Etsuko back to their posts and Kaede selected a replacement to cover her own while she assisted with wrapping up the legal side of the incident. Hamasaki Shin continued to argue and protest the arrest of his daughter while everything else got back into the regular swing of _Hatsumode_ at the shrine. Fujimoto Natsuo joined her fellow at the _amazake_ table leaving Sesshoumaru free to hover over Kagome's shoulder.

She didn't care what the _youkai daijin_ chose to do with his time so long as he didn't interfere with the shrine workings. Kagome certainly received a lot more pleasant smiles from the women this year. The _Jinja no Sewanin_ was fully aware Sesshoumaru was the reason. Teenage girls flirted and married women tittered for attention.

This _Hatsumode_ was turning out far more successful than all her years previous, even when her uncle was alive. Word had seemingly spread about their illustrious guest and more families than Kagome usually saw were dropping by. Never was there a line so deep waiting for the _haiden._ When there was a crowd already taking up Kagome's attention after respects were observed, people would usually try to by pass the well wishing from the shrine keeper, impatient to get on with their festivities. Kagome was hardly an important part to most of the locals' new year plans. She wasn't sure that such excessive interest in Sesshoumaru was a good thing. He wasn't going to be a permanent fixture and the fact that he wasn't could send the tide of public opinion in extreme directions, positive and negative. Only time would tell.


	7. Chapter 7

See notes in First Chapter.

**VII**

For the first time in his long life, Sesshoumaru observed the traditional _Hatsumode_ in an established shrine. He watched the coming and going of a wide variety of the local people, from the fishermen who made a living off the sea to the prominent politicians in the area. He saw housewives with small children, teenagers learning how to flirt, and school teachers pleased to have some time off. College students came home from far flung cities to enjoy missed family members or renew long distance ties with lovers and friends. All of them came to the shrine and all of them disrespected the establishment and it's caretaker to varying degrees.

Some only ignored Kagome's well-wishing in favor of flirtatious efforts to catch Sesshoumaru's attention. A handful boldly talked over the shrine official's words hoping to engage the _youkai inu_ in conversation or to just invite him out for a tryst disguised as a date. His nose could detect intent and there was no real desire to know him, just the contours hidden by the traditional robes of the shrine.

A few were accusing. These were mostly males who managed to keep their attention focused largely on Higurashi, but only to harass her for the presence of the white _inu_ hovering at her back or some other perceived slight. Many were overt in their accusations but more couched their disdain and insults in condescendingly polite tones and vocabulary.

Higurashi handled them all with seemingly impregnable cheer. There were no fluctuations in her spirit energy, her expressions seemed completely authentic. It wasn't a mask she wore for these people. She hid no resentment or distaste for any of these false people that Sesshoumaru could detect via scent or other physiological tells.

She did overextend herself to conceal the increasing strain her injury wrought on her body. As the day matured and waned, Kagome grew ashen from her natural complexion. A light sweat broke out despite the continued bitter temperatures. She kept her hands close to her torso most of the day, restrained in her gestures out of politeness and formality, but the few times she reached out, her hands shook. When the sky began to darken, Sesshoumaru detected a tendency for her posture to list slightly off center.

The minor injury that hadn't immediately been stitched up was taking its toll.

Sesshoumaru was moderately familiar with the signs of ill-health and injury in the species that lived along side his own. He didn't know enough to doctor a human himself, but he knew when one needed to pursue medical attention. Higurashi had surpassed the time when it was necessary to do something more about her injury.

Fortunately, the increasing darkness was also marked with a decrease in shrine traffic, signaling the end of the day's rites. The assembled volunteers started to break down the stalls for the night. Natsuo began bossing around anyone willing to take direction, especially those younger than her disguise. Clearly the hidden _kitsune_ was determined to finish closing down the shrine in record time. The faster everything was closed up for the day the sooner Kagome could be induced to go get her wound taken care of.

It was a valid strategy. One fairly common among tricksters and other well-meaning if controlling busybodies. It might even have been effective if maybe Higurashi Kagome had taken rest and sustenance at any point during the day after her injury.

Stubborn, determined female that she was, no such break had been taken. No, the _Jinja no Sewanin_ had organized all of the volunteers to take breaks around greeting visitors and offering blessings. She'd made certain even the hidden _youkai_ among her volunteers took breaks they needed even less than the humans. But Kagome had steamed on through the day.

Now her recklessness took its toll as the female broke. One more effort to correct the list in her posture went too far and the female began to fall. Sesshoumaru reached to catch her before she could hit the pavement only to be surprised by the rather lax posture of her body.

The human slipped through his hold, only slowing pace from his interference on the way to the ground. The woman had seemingly fainted.

"Higurashi-_sama_!" Tasuke gasped from several paces away. Sesshoumaru blinked at the youth addressing the woman at his feet with a higher respect than himself but refrained from comment. Instead, he knelt down to check his host for further signs of physical distress. The younger male rushed over to kneel beside the _inu_ in concern.

Within moments, before a real assessment could be conducted the girl regained consciousness and stared up at the gathering crowd in confusion.

"What's going on?" Kagome asked when she opened her eyes a minute later. "Why are you hovering above me?" she blinked and seemed to realize a few more facts about her current position. "Why am I on the ground?"

"Hn," Sesshoumaru reached for her hands to lift her onto her feet, relieved the episode was so short.

"You fainted, Higurashi-_san_," Tasuke answered her question quietly.

"You must be joking," Kagome sounded disbelieving, but it was hard to tell how the news affected her as she swayed briefly once on her feet and raised a hand to her head in confusion.

"It is likely a result of your failure to break for food after your injury," Sesshoumaru declared briefly.

"You didn't eat?" Natsuo scolded. "You know better than that. You're shocky, from the injury and the cold. It's no wonder you fainted! It'll take some work to prevent a recurrence tomorrow."

"I am not shocky! Stop making it into more than it is!" Kagome rebuffed Natsuo's concern. "Tomorrow will not be a problem. We can close everything up and head into the clinic to get the stitches you insist upon and everything will be fine. You're alarming people for no reason by failing to acknowledge the passage of **years**."

"Don't minimize the dangers inherent in this situation," Natsuo scowled darkly at Higurashi. "If I thought we could get away with it, I might ask our esteemed guest to haul you to the clinic right now. We can close up the shrine for tomorrow without your babysitting us. Kinomori would appreciate the earlier return to his home and family festivities as well."

"Leaving after the shrine is taken care of will be soon enough," Kagome sighed as she turned to collect the brooms. Despite every effort by volunteers and responsible parents to prevent it, quite a bit of debris had collected over the pavements that had nothing to do with the weather. "The volunteers are here to assist me in the necessary duties associated with the holiday, not do it all for me."

"These are extenuating circumstances," Natsuo nearly growled.

"Higurashi-_sama_," Tasuke cut in. "We can handle this so you can get treated. None of the tasks left require the personal attention of the _Jinja no Sewanin_." Which was true. Sweeping the shrine grounds and picking up litter **could** be done by any of the volunteers present. Wiping down the tables and stowing away the necessary supplies for tomorrow **was** already being done by the people assigned to those stations. Even dousing the lanterns and preparing for the final day of _Hatsumode_ didn't need Kagome's personal touch. The _kami_ and _youkai_ didn't care who cleaned the shrine outside of the _Honden_.

Before Kagome could respond in further argument or to cave to the reasoning of her active volunteers, Sesshoumaru snatched her up from the pavement beside him and leapt straight into the air. Once they achieved a height at which the whole of the town could be viewed, the _daijin_ collected his _youki_ in a cloud at his feet to hold them there while he waited for Higurashi to recover from the surprise of his move or the wind could give him a direction towards the clinic.

This high up, he was removed from the effluvium of the townspeople that had wandered through the area. Such emanations stuck close to the ground. At great height, the wind moved more freely and picked up scent from larger objects, mixing the smell of living creatures into indistinguishable and easily dismissed odors. Here Sesshoumaru caught the smell of the sea swirling with the dormant green of the forest on land. There was the tang that was so signatory of marshes and the dead wood of old buildings. Slicing through the fresher scents was the distinct iron of blood from the female he carried.

He was grateful Higurashi wasn't prone to screaming. Her surprise hadn't announced itself through anything louder than a gasp and stiffening throughout every limb. When she recovered herself, her voice was still quiet if a little weak and shaky. "Sesshoumaru-_dono_ I'm not certain that was entirely necessary."

"The wound was incurred on this Sesshoumaru's behalf," he couldn't help pointing out. "It behooves this Sesshoumaru to ensure its proper care. You are no longer capable of delaying treatment while maintaining decent health."

"I am more robust than-" she began to protest.

"You are sweating in near freezing temperatures, your limbs shake and you recently collapsed," Sesshoumaru itemized his observations. "This Sesshoumaru may not be terribly intimate with all the human body requires to function, but it is easily discernible when human health begins to deteriorate after an injury."

Her mouth closed with a click of teeth. Higurashi was clearly irritated but could find no diplomatic way to argue with the obvious. To further protest her fast ability to recover would belittle his understanding in a way that a less confident _youkai_ might believe indicated some error on his part. Sesshoumaru knew he was right and trying to convince him he wasn't would just irritate him, if he didn't take real offense instead. "Fine," she reluctantly admitted his point. "I have neglected my health today," Kagome conceded. "I should not have protested going to the clinic so hard, but Natsuo's tendency to imitate a mother hen is decidedly irritating."

"Hn," Sesshoumaru hummed quietly.

"I'm still not likely to have another spell tomorrow like she said," the _Jinja no Sewanin_ insisted stubbornly. "I generally recover quickly. It's a _reiki _thing."

Sesshoumaru glanced her over before dismissing the explanation and complaint. The domestic workings of this small community were not important to him. He'd taken note of the _kitsune_'s inclination to irritate those around her upon his last visit, and dismissed it then as inconsequential. So long as Natsuo's attentions and attempts at stirring up her companions focused on more suitable targets than himself her propensity to cause emotional upheaval was tolerable.

"She's going to be quite insufferable after this," Kagome continued to grumble to herself. "I'm not the way I was when I got here anymore."

"Perhaps not," Sesshoumaru allowed for a change in mental state after seven years. "But you are more than aware of the dangers you court with your actions. The _kitsune_ is aware you know better. A scolding is certainly due."

The woman tucked against his side huffed quietly in exasperation but refused further comment. Sesshoumaru ignored her nonverbal response. There was no one here to see and given the current proof of her fragility, emotional restraint was not expected. A sudden gust brought with it the taste of strong chemical sterility towards the coast side of town and Sesshoumaru directed his _youki_ to take them there.

The large clinic stuck out among its closest neighbors with a rather anomalous scent signature. The wharf buildings were large and shambling, smelling strongly of old fish and caked salt. There was the rotting smell of old seaweed caught about the pilings on the dock and the acrid stench of old gull excrement. By contrast, the tidy semi-modern building of the clinic stuck out like a sparkling piece of polished metal and glass amidst the splintering wood and dingy windows. The scent of disinfectant, bleach and muted tones of old blood curled about the otherwise unassuming structure.

"The clinic was placed near to the shore on purpose," Kagome explained without needing Sesshoumaru to express an actual question. "Most of the injuries throughout the year, the worst ones anyway, tend to come from the fishermen at sea." The placement allowed for the shortest distance to travel from a returned boat to medical help. "The school is also on this side of _Nishi no Mura_," she added, indicating another large building that stuck out, but blended better than the clinic. It was smaller than Sesshoumaru was used to educational venues being.

Travel was swift when one didn't have to avoid walls and buildings. Approaching in a semi-straight line allowed the journey time to be more than halved than if they had walked. Using such a mode of transportation was not often encouraged and the risks of possibly cutting into a flight lane was high in certain areas of the country, but this small town on the tip of Hokkaido offered no such deterrents. There were drawbacks to living in the city his father based the _youkai_ government out of. Freedom of movement was a boon only the most remote areas were granted.

"Kinomori-_sensei_," Kagome called into the opened sliding glass door after Sesshoumaru settled them on the pavement out front. The toneless electronic hum announcing the arrival of a patient preceded them inside. The interior of the clinic began with a rather tiny waiting area kept closed off from the rest of the working spaces with hospital screens. The room was mostly open and lined along both side with treatment rooms of varying sorts. Most were quipped generic medical equipment designed for use in check up and diagnosis situations. A few held more specialized apparatus used for more intensive injuries. All were currently open to passing view and empty of patients.

"Back here," a low voice called from the third room down to the left. There was the distinct chink of metal impacting on metal and the squeak of tight wheels being forced to roll across the floor. A slender, diminutive, older male appeared in the open doorway wearing a white coat and wire rimmed glasses. He was old enough that his hair had passed the salt and pepper to mostly white, but his eyes were sharp and clear. "My nurse tells me there was trouble at the shrine, Higurashi-_san_."

"Erm, unfortunately there was a bit of a ruckus," Kagome admitted reluctantly. The small town doctor was not part of a shrine family and thus possibly subject to local politics and popular opinion. Any words she spoke would have to be tactful and possibly vague.

"The mayor again," the short man shook his head. "Be easy here Higurashi-_san_, I learned early in my career the foolishness of being swayed into choosing sides. Besides, I knew Hamasaki as a bullying little boy and manipulative teenager. There were many that came to be patched up in this very clinic during his ruffian days. I can see clearly, even with my old eyes."

"Not just the mayor," Kagome clarified. "There was a difference of opinion between Hamasaki-_shicho_ and Sesshoumaru-_dono_."

The piercing gaze wandered to the tall silver-haired _inu_ quietly observing the scene. "I thought that was you," Kinomori nodded respectfully to the _youkai_ _daijin_. "You likely do not remember it, but we have met twice before. Once in Kyoto while I was attending medical school, when I was young. The second time was in Sapporo for an interspecies medical practitioners' conference almost twenty years ago. I was one of many attendees and you made appearance at a number of the planned events."

"Hn," Sesshoumaru acknowledged.

"It seems our community has not managed to give the best impression to our distinguished guest," the doctor sighed. "It was not always so bad here. In my childhood, I knew and played with some of the _kitsune_ fostered here briefly. A turn made even more brief by my discovery of the secret," he smiled slyly in an expression Kagome had never seen him make, "but I was not the only one to simply think their presence was "neat" at the time."

"Higurashi_-san's_ shoulder," Sesshoumaru reminded the old man, drawing him from the memory.

"Ah, right," Kinomori nodded sharply and ducked back into the room he'd blocked the doorway to. There was a tray arrayed with the necessary supplies to properly stitch up Kagome's cut and a syringe waiting to administer the necessary booster to prevent tetanus from settling in. He motioned her down onto the sturdy backless chair sitting beside the counter. "How long after the wound was incurred?"

Higurashi removed her bulky gloves to set in her lap, revealing the pristine white of the bandage on the back of her hand. "We're just outside the six hour window," Kagome answered as she reached to remove first her _haori_ before attempting to shrug out of the sleeve of her thermal shirt. The motions were awkward and almost immediately Sesshoumaru scented the fresh release of blood as she reopened the wound trying to expose it. "But it was sterilized and covered right away."

Kinomori ended her struggles by reaching for the collar of the stretchy material and cutting the fabric down to the tear already present to expose the wound. "I see Fujimoto's work," the doctor considered the neat square of taped gauze.

"I wanted to try and repair that," Kagome grumbled in relation to the further destruction of her shirt. Because of the doctor's cut, the shirt hung off her shoulder but still clung to her arm and much of the rest of her upper torso. The skin exposed was bright pink with reaction to the central heating warming the clinic interior. Hours in the cold made the temperature change seem more drastic and her body's reaction more extreme.

"You've bled almost continuously since then, I'd surmise," Kinomori observed the dark red stain eclipsing the center of the gauze as he started working the medical tape from the skin. Only the four corners and a sliver of the edges between retained the original white of the clean material. "This probably should have been checked and changed at least once already."

Kagome hissed tightly as a bit of the tape refused to let go of her hide. The stool kept her slightly higher than a standard chair height, making the work easier for the doctor.

"Higurashi reopened it several times with her movements," Sesshoumaru informed the doctor. Kagome shot him a glare but didn't say anything.

"Such is the reason it would benefit from stitches," Kinomori murmured as his attention remained on the revealed wound, swabbing the blood from newly exposed skin and gauging the number of stitches it would need. "Higurashi-_san_ is much too responsible to have overly risked herself with particularly active behavior or heavy lifting with such a wound."

Kagome took a deep breath and slowly released it, clearly attempting to calm herself. Sesshoumaru found himself amused by her present reactions. It was rare when someone treated him like an annoyance or irritant even when he was. He seldom spent enough time around shrine families to be able to tell if she was singular in her behavior or if it was common among her people. The _inu_ rather thought that he would not be as indulgent with any other person though he couldn't tell why.

Likely it was his sense that Higurashi Kagome had much to find irritating in her life concerning silver-haired _youkai_. Inuyasha was harassing her constantly and the only thing keeping him from full-blown physical stalking was Sesshoumaru's own stance on intrusion from his family into his territory. Sesshoumaru himself could admit she had reason to consider his own behavior on the same level as the _hanyou'_s as he kept trying to bring up an injurious topic she was trying to move past.

Sesshoumaru could see where she had healed much in the years since Inuyasha's attack. He could also see where she would not want to backtrack by bringing it all back up. But he was the _daijin_ of this area. His soul could not allow injustice to go unanswered by those who shared his blood.

Perhaps he went about broaching the subject in the wrong way. At present Higurashi was the only one Inuyasha had so wronged, that they knew of. If there were more, others who were not as strong or protected or lucky as she who had suffered such actions by the brat, perhaps Kagome would be willing to speak for them.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed with calculation. Kagome's wounds had been incurred nearly a decade prior. Inuyasha and Kikyou continuously maintained a relationship, though it was rocky at the best of times and there were not many times that could count as "the best of times". That was a long time for Inuyasha to be faithful to a woman he hadn't been exclusive with before.

It was even more suspicious as Inuyasha's current actions proved he had no intention of becoming dedicated to that relationship as he haunted Kagome's phone lines with overtures of - not reconciliation - but continuation. Paired with the reality that there was no reason for the boy to take so long to find Kagome after she'd left Tokyo, it was highly likely Inuyasha had other lovers between then and now to distract him.

Yes, it might be of more benefit to search out the others before trying to pry Higurashi Kagome's history from her reluctant lips.

Alternate strategy devised, he decided to remain until the next day regardless. As Sesshoumaru had informed Higurashi this morning, he had no scheduled obligations during this time. The _Jinja no Sewanin_ had been injured in his defense. It may have been the course her duty lead her down, but he could not divert all responsibility away from himself. It had not been required for him to divulge his thoughts and observations right then, in front of the town mayor and accompaniment. He could have waited to dispense his compliment until there were no locals to overhear.

Sesshoumaru wasn't prone to handing out praise and while he **did** admire her restraint, he never would have told her that without ulterior motives. He'd meant to make a point to the milieu degrading Higurashi as she went about her duties. The continued insult handed to the woman irked him. Higurashi didn't deserve such pointedly disparaging slurs made against her, her virtue or her station. He didn't care how covert or disguised the townspeople thought their true opinions were.

Why he cared if they snubbed their protector was difficult to pinpoint. Likely it was a combination of admiration for her perceived character and familial guilt. He felt strangely protective of the human who'd hidden under his name and deep in his territory without his knowing. That, and the very reality that a lack of regard for the shrine's work could also be taken as a measure of the town's consideration of the _youkai_ around them as a whole.

It was possible to divorce the individual from the position when creating a personal opinion, but it was impossible to do it as a community.

Sesshoumaru shook off his introspection to return to his present observation of Kagome's treatment.

The female winced as the doctor administered a mild, local anesthetic before lifting his sterilized tools already prepped. "Are you ready?" Kinomori asked in a calm distracted voice.

"Go ahead," Kagome braced herself, clamping her hands on the counter to hold herself steady.

Without preamble, Kinomori leaned in to place the first stitch. Kagome clenched her eyes closed and hissed out a sharp breath. "All right, Higurashi?" The doctor checked as he tied off the thread and snipped the excess. Working to set up for the next stitch, the old man's eyes never left the work of his hands.

"I'm fine," Kagome all but growled and the corner of Sesshoumaru's mouth quirked up uncontrollably.

"You are sure?" Kinomori asked again as he leaned in for the second stitch.

"It has to be done, Kinomori-_sensei_," Kagome returned. "Please don't draw it out," she shuddered as the thread pulled through skin to close the wound.

"Is it painful?" Sesshoumaru asked curious. He had never needed stitches, few _youkai_ actually ever would. He'd thought the anesthetic prevented undue discomfort, such was its purpose, yet Higurashi reacted strongly even after the area had been numbed.

"Not really," Kagome breathed out after the third stitch had been tied off. "It just feels weird, like nails on a chalkboard sounds. It sets my teeth on edge."

"Many people feel that way," the doctor added. "It is the same with needles. It isn't the pain that upsets them so much as the sight of something stuck under their skin."

"Hn," Sesshoumaru absorbed the information.

"It doesn't hurt all that much without the anesthetic," Kagome explained further. "I have a pretty high pain tolerance and even with the tugging, I could have borne it. I just likely wouldn't have been able to remain still enough to keep the stitches straight and small."

"Few humans would remain in place if they could feel the pain of every stitch," Kinomori excused. "We are not engineered to just sit and accept repeat pain. It is ingrained to move away from that which hurts us."

"Hn, _youkai_ too," the _daijin_ admitted.

"Most every living thing would," Kagome smiled tightly up at the _youkai_ hovering behind her shoulder watching.

Kinomori's stitches were neat and small, the edges of the wound were clean and the final dressing seemed to minimize the wound itself. "There's twenty eight of them," the doctor informed Kagome when he was done. "Try to avoid using that arm too much and keep the wound dry. Anyone but you, I'd leave them in for two weeks," Kinomori continued as he administered the booster shot before writing out a prescription for oral antibiotics. "But I think we'll take a look in nine days instead."

Kagome nodded complacently while she donned her _haori_, tucking the material of her shirt under a bra strap to help keep it in place. Her gloves had fallen to the floor and as she bent to retrieve them, Kinomori stopped her with his eyes on the back of her hand.

"What's this?" the doctor demanded.

"Lantern burn," Sesshoumaru answered for the _Jinja no Sewanin_. Kagome's eyes narrowed at his presumption. The _inu _didn't care. He'd observed enough of her behavior to be certain she would give a vague answer if she admitted to the injury at all.

"Ah!" Kinomori nodded and dismissed the neat bandage without prying under it. "The shrine curse I see."

Kagome's expression instantly changed as she let out a snort of laughter.

"I never worry about burns suffered at the shrine," Kinomori informed Sesshoumaru. "With the hereditary predilection of our Higurashi to pick up burns and scars, they have long been very good with the treatment of them. Almost better care than they could have gotten anywhere else in earlier times."

Sesshoumaru's displeasure did not show on his face. After watching Higurashi's behavior throughout the day, dismissing and minimizing her injury and its effects, he'd felt certain she had also failed to treat her previous injury adequately.

"This Higurashi is probably better than most of the others," Kinomori offered a wry smile. "Her previous education would see to that."

"Kinomori-_sensei_," came the call from the front of the clinic.

"Back here, Fujimoto-_kun_," the doctor called to his nurse. "We're just finishing up."

"How many?" the old _kitsune_ demanded as she came into view. The old man lead the way toward the front.

"Twenty eight, you nosy old bat," Kagome grumbled. "And we're all done now."

"Any other injuries I should be around for, or can we close up shop for the evening?" Kinomori asked the pushy fox. "Higurashi's health, while slightly compromised by injury and a long day of service, is fine enough for her to be sent home with stipulations of care and rest."

"Did she tell you she didn't eat?" Natsuo glared at the small male.

"Mattaki used to skip midday meal during _Hatsumode_ as well," Kinomori replied mildly to Fujimoto's alarmist effort to get Higurashi in trouble. He was not the _Jinja no Sewanin_'s guardian and could not force Higurashi to more care of her health. "One missed meal in any given day is not an emergency health issue. Even with the injury, Higurashi-_san_ is in solid health. She's not under weight, not subject to blood sugar issues and while the excitement of today might have taxed her system, it isn't life threatening."

The meddling fox huffed incredulously. Clearly the nurse disagreed, but she wouldn't gainsay the doctor. "Well she should have eaten. And she should have come down here when she suffered the injury instead of-"

"Instead of doing her job? Should we discuss how often you overlook your own health needs in favor of our shared profession?" Kinomori raised an eyebrow turning the tables on the snappish fox.

"I am not - " Natsuo tried to protest.

"To Higurashi, the duties of the shrine are as important as the duties of a nurse," the doctor continued without pause. "All our Higurashi have a highly developed dedication to their profession. One the whole town benefits from. I would not worsen her lot for something so benign and harmless as missing a single meal in any given day. This is not seven years ago when missing a meal was cause for concern."

Sesshoumaru watched as Kagome carefully avoided looking at anybody. She was clearly uncomfortable with whatever had been hinted at. He knew it was likely the female had suffered emotionally in the immediate aftermath of Inuyasha's attack. The _inu_ also realized that Inuyasha's incessant efforts to harass his victim had compounded her trauma. Such profound mental turbulence could lead to many self-destructive behaviors in humans and non-humans alike. Loss of appetite or just the will to eat could do serious damage and require much time to recover.

She had told them all the same thing. He didn't much like that the second opinion supported her own knowledge of her body but he wasn't one to ignore more knowledgeable opinions. Humans were inherently adaptable and robust despite their seeming fragility.

"I think you forget how often those same shrine families die of their 'dedication'," Natsuo grumbled.

Kagome huffed this time. "Occupational hazard," she growled, glowering at the previously described 'mother hen'. "Most of the shrine families are completely human, with human limitations trying to mediate and maintain peace between a reckless human populace and a multitude of non-human people that are inherently stronger, faster, and only slightly less reckless. Irreverence is deadlier to us than occasional malnutrition." The day's events had proven so.

Many of the shrine's patrons disliked Kagome. Many blamed her for Sesshoumaru's presence for one reason or another. A few even gossiped that she wasn't human. Respect for the office Higurashi Kagome filled kept all the others from physically attacking her. Sumiko respected no one, a lesson likely learned from her father. She was determined to prove herself right and oust Kagome from her position without real knowledge or understanding of what the office means.

The only person in a crowd of antagonistic people to plan and deliver harm to Higurashi was the one proven to hold no respect for her or the shrine system. The same held true for the _youkai_ she came in contact with. As Kagome had pointed out, she was inherently slower, weaker, and shorter lived. Respect for what she did, for what the shrines around the country did, offered her best protection from the non-humans around them.

The easiest attack to defend against is the one that never comes.

"Hmph!" came Natsuo's judgmental response. "Where's your sling? You promised to wear one."

Kagome sighed and rolled her eyes. "Kinomori-_sensei_ doesn't keep slings in his surgery rooms, Fujimoto-_san_. You just watched us exit one and he already told you we just finished up. When precisely did you expect me to collect a sling for use?"

The fox glared at Kagome's very reasonable response.

"A sling would be just the thing," Kinomori intervened. "It is a good suggestion for you to wear one while going about your duties."

"I thought it would help remind me not to use the arm," Kagome mildly informed the doctor. "It should help limit movement so long as I'm not trying too hard to work against it."

"The slings are over here," Kinomori directed his patient. "I think a simple hanging sling should be sufficient. You haven't injured the limb or torn the attached musculature so a little movement won't be a concern. I'd advise against wearing it in your sleep and you should be healed enough to leave it off in a couple days without fear of tearing stitches or the wound itself."

"I think we should use one that straps her whole arm to her chest," Natsuo disagreed.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Save the heavy duty specialty slings for those that need them for that purpose. Simple will work for this situation. Get your revenge in some other way that won't hurt someone else should a real broken arm turn up."

"Is that what my nurse is after?" Kinomori chuckled. "Petty revenge, how positively like the town's children." The old man slyly winked at Higurashi as the hidden _kitsune_ sputtered.

"Hn," Sesshoumaru took in the interplay with genuine if quiet amusement. Kagome clearly wasn't the impetus, this wasn't a display the other two put on for her or even his benefit. The good doctor clearly knew how to tease his nurse and likely knew Fujimoto Natsuo wasn't human. It was a secret he had kept for as long as he'd known it, however long that happened to have been. Indeed, Kinomori was good at keeping secrets.

"I am nothing like - "

"Hamasaki Sumiko didn't like how Higurashi-_san_ handles her duty," Kinomori observed wryly. "She planned to lash out at her. Your plans don't seem so very different, nor your motivations."

"Sumiko doesn't like that Higurashi-_sama_ exists period," Natsuo protested. "She acted from that motivation. I don't like that Higurashi-_sama_ neglects her health, I work from that motivation. She can't meet her responsibilities if she isn't healthy."

Kagome tugged her hair out of the way of her sling as Kinomori adjusted the straps to make her comfortable. "As you can see, I didn't die," the shrine caretaker declared flippantly. "I can take up my responsibilities again without having abandoned a one of them. No patrons of the shrine were unduly effected because of the delay, something that couldn't be said if I'd left at noon instead."

"She's got a point," Kinomori arched a brow at his ornery nurse. "Her way allowed her to uphold her responsibility. Your way would have required she fail to."

Natsuo huffed, unable to argue their point.

"Let us put this aside," Kinomori gave a strap one final adjustment before stepping towards the discreet coat rack by the door. "Higurashi has a busy day tomorrow, last day of Hatsumode. And certainly she should get something to eat and a good night's sleep."

"Good night Kinomori-_sensei_," Kagome replied and stepped out the sliding door, determined to allow the elder male to find his home and rest.

"Higurashi-_sama_ and Sesshoumaru-_sama_ will both be having dinner with my family," Natsuo insisted firmly.

"It's lovely of you to invite us," Kagome replied gently. "Fixing dinner tonight would have been an adventure using just one hand."

"I'm certain the _daijin_ would enjoy a more positive experience of our town's hospitality than he's so far been graced with," Kinomori offered in slight praise of his nurse, turning what was likely meant as a way to harass Kagome into something more positive than intended.

"Indeed," Sesshoumaru agreed to the plan easily. He wouldn't eat, but as Kagome had said, she would have difficulty preparing a meal for herself. Her care required a solid repast that he had no inclination or knowledge as to how to prepare. The fox family were more capable of feeding a human than he was. Besides which, the Higurashi woman had given in far too easily for there to be no secondary reason for accepting.

"Higurashi-_san_," a voice called from down the street, drawing their attention from the retreating physician. "Might I have a word?" the woman asked grimly.

"Hamasaki-_san_," Kagome identified the female. "Is your son doing better now?"

"Takeuchi is much improved since yesterday," the mayor's wife responded in a small voice. "But that is not what I desired to speak with you about."

"I hope you and he are able to make it up to the shrine tomorrow, but if you believe his health would be negatively effected by the visit, I'm certain the _kami_ and all others who would care will understand," the _Jinja no Sewanin_ carefully bowed politely. It was clear to Sesshoumaru that Kagome was trying to steer the conversation and end it quickly. He couldn't fault her for the attempt. He'd already seen the behavior of one parent defending that despicable brat that had attacked earlier today. She'd just dealt with the physical damage and had no desire to rehash the legal or emotional aspects.

"I wish to apologize for Sumiko," Hamasaki cried.

Kagome came to a full stop flanked on either side by Sesshoumaru and Natsuo. "How old is Sumiko?" she demanded of the woman quietly. "School records indicate she started late, so she's nearly sixteen, isn't she?"

"Yes," the woman answered.

"She's beyond the age where you should be making her apologies for her," Kagome replied steadily. "And this isn't something you should be letting her slide from," Higurashi waved to Sesshoumaru. "Her words alone could have caused an incident that took lives, but she took it beyond words. She attacked, attempting to bloody a visiting _youkai_ dignitary. The consequences she faces now are less than what she would have faced if her blow had landed on target."

"I know," the sorrowful mother deflated. "I'm not trying to talk you out of pressing charges. Violence is never the correct answer to truth."

"Then -"

"I apologize for that which is my fault," the woman continued sincerely. "Sumiko reacted to the implication towards her heritage because she is ignorant of it. Because I have withheld it from her."

"The child is unaware of her diluted _youkai_ ancestry," Sesshoumaru assessed the words.

Kagome's eyes widened in reaction. It was a rare thing to find someone with _youkai_ heritage whose blood was so diluted there was no _youki_ to give them away to people like her. The mixing of species was not widely accepted and former times found _hanyou_ and the like hunted by both species. Few of such heritage lived for very long so to find someone descended from such a person, especially given how slow the maturity rate was for those of mixed bloodlines was extremely rare. They existed, just not in great number.

"I am not from this area and was not aware of Shin's views on non-human people," the female sighed, her voice was pitched low to avoid carrying far in the night. This side of _Nishi no Mura_ was mostly deserted after dark in the winter. The residential areas sprawled across town on the other side of the school and clinic. This side of town was packed with business associated with summer tourism and the town's livelihood of fishing. Still, one couldn't be too careful when speaking of such topics. "My family was from an area farther in-land. Shin and I never would have met if not for attending university at the same time. I knew he was fully human and that he had small town political aspirations. I had not encountered anyone like him and had no reason to suspect my long ago ancestor's blood would be a problem between us. We had already been married several months when the news reached all the papers about the terrorist attacks in Tokyo. It was the first time I'd ever heard Shin say anything about his sympathies for the purists."

"Hamasaki Haruka," Fujimoto Natsuo scolded the younger woman. "It should have come up before then, information like that should have been shared between you before you tied yourself to any man."

"I didn't think it would matter," Haruka shrugged mournfully. "It wasn't completely secret in my hometown though it wasn't bandied about like public gossip either. I'd never encountered anyone like Shin and I loved him so desperately."

Sesshoumaru nearly rolled his eyes, but didn't comment. People of all species, ages and genders could be incredibly foolish when it came to mating possibilities.

Kagome shook her head, "Whirlwind romance or not, he's your spouse, he should know. How can he love you if he doesn't know who you are?"

"You should have ended the relationship when first you learned about his prejudices," Natsuo added and looked away. "Divorce wouldn't have been so difficult before your children were born."

"I was already pregnant," Haruka replied in exasperation. "I could live with him not knowing me, not loving me, but I couldn't deprive my children of their father."

"Instead you allowed him to infect them with his poison that could only lead them to hate themselves for their heritage whenever they learned of it," Kagome huffed. "Sumiko is determined to attend fashion school in Sapporo. What's she going to do when the first _youkai_ approaches her thinking she is safe to approach because of her heritage?" And they would. If Sesshoumaru could detect the blood of her ancestors then it wasn't impossible that some other _youkai_ with strong olfactory perception could do the same.

"Sumiko wouldn't hurt anybody," the mother protested sharply.

All three individuals listening in gave her a flat disbelieving look at the words. "You'll forgive me if I fail to believe your words when the twenty eight stitches she gave me are starting to ache." Haruka paled uncomfortably.

"The anesthetic is wearing off?" Natsuo asked in concern.

"Starting to," Kagome sighed wearily. "It was only a local. I'm starting to remember how sore it was before the stitches."

"It'll be worse now," the fox delighted in reminding her. Sesshoumaru shot the troublemaker a stern look. She was starting to get on his nerves delighting in Kagome's discomfort concerning a wound she had collected disarming a situation that also benefited all the _kitsune_ and _tanuki_ and partial _youkai_ in _Nishi no Mura_. He wouldn't mind the scolding for neglecting her health he felt Higurashi had fully earned. But this was out of line.

"Sumiko's volatility makes it dangerous for her to go off to the city where _youkai_ are not kept hidden," Kagome returned to the original topic. "If she reacted this way to a single _youkai_ making a single statement alluding to her ancestry, what will she do in a city full of strangers that will not support or coddle her? What of your other child, your son? Has he suffered such encounters? What was his reaction? How many innocent, uninvolved people were hurt?"

"Takeuchi knows," Haruka sniffed wetly. "He's always known."

"The boy was born with cat-eyes," Natsuo explained bluntly. _Youkai _heredity was never terribly logical once mixed with human genetics. Non-human traits could skip whole generations before making an appearance in a bloodline.

"How?" the mayor's wife gasped in horror.

"Fujimoto-_san_ has worked in the clinic for a long time," Kagome pointed out to the horrified woman. "She's seen more of the town's folk born than even Kinomori-_sensei_. Surely you didn't think you could keep anything extraordinary from such keen eyes?"

"I-"

"But that part hardly matters," Kagome steamrolled on. "There is no present evidence that Takeuchi has ever attacked anyone for comments made over his bloodline. Sumiko is another concern. She is dangerous, to herself and others."

"I planned to tell her before she went to school," Haruka declared. "She has no overt characteristics of her blood to show so there was no need for her to know before now."

"That's great," Kagome scoffed. "Destroy her perception of herself and send her off to school alone and without support. She is at that most difficult age, self-esteem is a problem. Telling her the truth now will make an enemy of her father, though he's not much of an ally right now, and yourself as she either rejects what you say and acts out violently or accepts it and hates herself."

"Well you've already told me it's dangerous to let her go without telling her," Haruka huffed. "Now you're telling me that informing her of our ancestry is also dangerous. What do you want from me?"

"You said you grew up in an accepting and sheltered town," Kagome replied. "Don't wait until just before she goes to school and release her on the world and don't tell her here where the dangers of her reaction will compromise her safety and that of so many others. That town where it was an open secret has seen this situation several times throughout its history. It can see it one more time. Sumiko needs to be shown that being what she is doesn't make her less than she always was. Of course it will have to wait until after she's served her term of punishment for her actions today. You may tell her the relocation, which you will attend her on, is an extension of the court ordered punishment. Violence was the wrong reaction whether Sesshoumaru-_dono_'s observation was accurate or not."

"That...that might work," Haruka blinked as she thought about it. "The kids never got to spend much time with my parents after Shin was elected. Takeuchi got to visit them more often because he knew, but Sumiko might benefit from time spent with them."

"You probably will too," Natsuo added. "Get away from that poison you married and seriously think about separating permanently. He bruised Sumiko pretty badly today, before things devolved."

"Higurashi-_san_ had to speak on the brat's behalf before he would let go," Sesshoumaru added. Natsuo wasn't there for that part, so he doubted she was aware.

"I will think on your suggestions and observations," Hamasaki Haruka intoned pensively, clearly their collective understanding of her situation had given her much to consider.

"Again I hope to see you and Takeuchi at the shrine tomorrow, provided his health has improved of course," Kagome softly offered the pale woman with a nod as the trio moved on towards the Fujimoto house. Hamasaki Haruka just stood there in thought, little noticing as the rest of them moved on.

"That was neatly done," the Fujimoto matriarch observed wryly.

"It's not done yet," Kagome scowled at the sarcastic fox. "I'll need to look into Hamasaki Haruka's background, find out where she came from so I can warn the shrine contact responsible for that area. I don't like shoving my problems onto others. I generally try not to cause trouble for others. But there is more than my preferences and my pride at stake in this." She took a deep breath and adjusted the sling a bit to alleviate some minor discomfort. "This solution allows for the best possible outcome for all concerned. A rural setting reduces the number of innocent bystanders. A more experienced community is better able to handle Sumiko's soon to be revelation without ending up barring her from her home."

"Hn," Sesshoumaru broke in before the fox could comment further. "This Sesshoumaru will notify Ryoichi to look into it. It may be easier to track the _youkai_ bloodline than the human. Much of the interior of the island has little shrine representation."

"But -"

"You will be busy dealing with the legal fall out of today's mischief," Sesshoumaru pointed out. "Gathering the necessary information around your regular duties will take time and resources. Handling this situation jointly benefits us both."

"Sesshoumaru-_sama_ is most generous," Natsuo declared before Kagome had the chance to refuse further.

The _jinja no sewanin_ receded from the point with a heavy sigh. Clearly she didn't like handing over the reins, but she was already stretched fairly thin. The injury would not help.

"We will need this side of things resolved quickly," Fujimoto Natsuo continued sagely. "Despite the fact that Higurashi-_sama_ is pressing charges against her attacker, this is a small town and the brat is the mayor's kid. If she is handed down any punishment for today's work, it is likely to amount to little more than a slap on the wrist. Community service at worst, and of fairly short duration."

Kagome growled and tugged at her sling in irritation, "I hate nepotism." Sesshoumaru raised a brow at her, goading her to continue, "I don't mind giving family members and friends specific jobs if they are actually qualified for them, especially public office."

"The mayor's cousin is our most respected judge," the nurse explained for the _daijin_'s edification. "To be fair, he does have all of the legal qualifications for the job."

Kagome snorted but refused to be further engaged in the subject. Sesshoumaru found himself in agreement with her tactical retreat from the conversation. To continue the subject would achieve nothing. Natsuo didn't want to argue one side or the other so much as just annoy everybody present. It was a failing fairly common among the trickster breeds. They rarely knew when to ease off a topic that couldn't be won or lost.

Nepotism was such a one. While there are those who breed and train for positions of power and therefore are justified in appointing close family members to leadership roles, there are just as many who do it without training, breeding or any other specialized education to fulfill their gifted jobs. On the one side were those like the shrine families that would insist on training both at school and on the job before appointing someone the heir to a shrine. Kagome may not have completed the whole curriculum at the shrine school, but she did complete a significant number of courses **before** training under her great uncle in the specific demands of the shrine she inherited. Her ability to fill the role was tested time and again both during Mattaki's tutorship and during the many trials of her adolescence.

Sesshoumaru had followed a similar path to power under his father's strict direction. From early youth he was trained in the demands of power and leadership. He was bred from strength and tested for decades before the Northern Territory fell into his hands without the constant monitoring of his father. In such cases, Nepotism wasn't a full on evil just a fact of life.

On the other side were people like Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru barely restrained a grimace. The half-breed had never applied himself to the educational opportunities provided by their father. The territory so unfortunate as to fall under the _hanyou_'s jurisdiction only avoided decline by their father's near constant interference. Sesshoumaru may have been watched for several decades to ensure his actions did not harm his people, but never did Masashi have to intervene in the north the way he did so often in the south.

Sesshoumaru had little doubt Kagome thought specifically of Inuyasha's ineptitude in his appointed position, a position gained only through bloodlines and not qualification. _Youkai_ in the south would likely be better off if the boy were ousted from his place of responsibility by someone of better skill, honor, dedication, and strength even if they weren't the direct descendant of the great _omo_. In this case, as in that of the local judge, nepotism was a bane of society as a whole.

Sumiko should be punished fully for her actions. She was no more special or worse than any other narrow-minded person with violent tendencies. In the city, without her ties to an important municipal office, she might well be tried as a terrorist. At the very least assault would be taken seriously.

Although, Sesshoumaru paused his constant surveillance of the area to think sourly, as a minor Sumiko likely wouldn't get the full punishment he felt was her due even if she weren't so protected. The human government took a decidedly soft view when it came to punishing children. As Higurashi had said, the girl was only fifteen. It would be five years before she would be considered an adult in the eyes of human law. And she wasn't _youkai_ enough to be subject to his own laws.

"I am a fool," Kagome muttered to herself, ignoring Natsuo's continued efforts to instigate some argument or another. Clearly, her thoughts had moved away from the present and fallen into darker waters.

_Kitsune_ thrived in chaos and ideological dissent. The divide allowed them to be most effective. The absence of even heated, passionate discussion made them uneasy. Silence made even the most experienced anxious, unless they had a specific plan in mind which utilized the quiet. Kagome's serious, off topic words shocked the fox into uncharacteristic speechlessness.

The dark closed in on the sparsely lit residential street as the general mood grew more awkward. The fox had no clue what to say for the topic had not been divulged. There was no knowing what Kagome thought she had been a fool about or what had been her proof that she was. Sesshoumaru might have demanded an explanation, but he held enough respect for Higurashi not to do it in front of others. That and he had no use for an overabundance of words. Human psychology was not his strong suit.

The _daijin_ preferred to be fully versed in the subjects he attempted to tackle. Kagome's declaration could likely not be taken at face value.

Luckily, the human's stomach growled, reminding them of their current business and galvanizing Natsuo into returning to the subject of nutrition, health needs and willful neglect.

Kagome cut into the harangue abruptly, suddenly back in the current situation and losing patience with the patronizing scolding about proper nutrition. "What are we having for dinner?"

"The family opted for a hot pot tonight," Natsuo answered cheerfully. "It is easily stretched to accommodate guests and you need something warm in you after being outside all day."

"Tea is warm," Kagome pointed out.

"Tea is mostly devoid of any real nutritional value," Fujimoto Natsuo scoffed. "It is not a suitable meal."

"I didn't say it was a meal," Kagome huffed. "I said it was warm. Which it usually is. Who thinks tea is a meal?" The _Jinja no Sewanin_ glanced sarcastically back at the fox as they paused outside a curious two story building that was far too small to house the numbers Sesshoumaru knew most _kitsune_ homes would contain.

"Just get inside Higurashi-_sama_," Fujimoto Natsuo growled gruffly.

"With such a warm invitation, I imagine dinner will be quite an experience," Kagome teased mildly. Her tone was slightly smug for getting a rise out of the fox that had been trying to provoke the shrine caretaker.

Two small furry bodies jumped Kagome the minute they cleared the door. The pair climbed Higurashi's unbalanced frame in a rush and the women let out a delighted laugh. "I missed you too!" she smiled indulgently, swaying slightly to compensate for their scurrying weight. Oki settled on her shoulder, picking at the unfamiliar strap of Kagome's sling. Naoki headed directly for the back of the sling and the freshly stitched wound underneath.

The small chipmunk _youkai_'s nose twitched madly, collecting information on the well-being of his caretaker. At this age, while his senses were capable of detecting her wound, Naoki wouldn't have the skill to pinpoint an injury on a human that quickly. The young male had previous information to direct him, likely from the resident _kitsune_ and Tasuke who had been present for Sumiko's attempted attack.

"It's all right," Kagome reached up with her free hand to caress Oki who was starting to shake on her shoulder. "We discussed this with the scratches before. Humans heal more slowly than _youkai_. I'll be fine, just sore for a few days."

Naoki dropped to the floor to dart around to face Kagome. His hands clutched at the legs of her pants anxiously. "I mean it," Kagome squatted carefully down to his level and Oki plopped down beside him. "It's a long scratch in a bad spot. That's the only reason I'm wearing a sling. My hand and arm are fine. It will take a little longer to heal, but it will heal. And you both will be back home with me to help out day after tomorrow." Naoki still looked unconvinced so she added, "I promise."

She wobbled slightly as she stood back up to continue further into the Fujimoto residence. Sesshoumaru was slightly surprised as he glanced around. The house should be bursting at the seams of every room with members of the family, both public and secret. From the outside the home had not looked large enough to house the two dozen or so member clan. Every fox present might not all be related, but their numbers seldom varied all that much from fox den to den, even in the same town. As such, finding that he and Higurashi were completely alone in the room with the pair of _shimarisu_ pups was astounding.

"I was invited to dinner," Kagome explained to the curious but still silent pair. "Natsuo-_san_ invited me, but mostly I just really missed you." She cast the clingy pups a warm smile. "Even Sesshoumaru-_dono_ missed you. He missed you so much he followed me here!"

Naoki turned to stare incredulously at Sesshoumaru following behind her, while Oki tugged at Kagome's _hakama_ and shook her head. "You don't believe me?" Kagome gasped in mock hurt. The pretense didn't last very long as she very shortly reached down and patted the young striped head staring up at her. "You're right. Sesshoumaru-_dono_ is here for his own reasons. But I really did miss you."

Naoki returned his attention to Higurashi and secured his own handful of Kagome's clothing to tug her forward.

"Have you two eaten yet?" Higurashi continued to chat at her charges with affection. Both of the young _youkai _nodded in the affirmative and seemed to sadden at their answer. "Well, do you mind keeping me company anyway?"

Oki beamed her answer up at her guardian before dashing ahead into the next room where the wafting scent of cooked meat and vegetables beckoned. The male wrapped his arm fully around Higurashi's leg as if to assure her that he wasn't letting go.

The exchange, seemingly one-sided and very short in duration, informed Sesshoumaru of one exceedingly important detail. Dividing the _shimarisu_ from the _Jinja no Sewanin_ would do serious damage to the emotional and mental health of both. There was affection there on both sides, communicated by more than just words.

The _inu_ followed the trio into the next room to find Oki carefully arranging a place setting for Higurashi on the low table as Naoki helpfully assisted Kagome to sit on a cushion designated as hers for the meal. The large table the meal was served upon wasn't crowded overmuch. Most _kitsune_ dens served meals in waves or rounds. There were too many individuals to feed for meals to be all inclusive and most adult _youkai_ did not require sustenance as often as the adolescents that were around. Pups ate multiple times a day. The very young and recently born could eat as often as there were hours in a day. Young who were weaned but constantly covered in fur ate regular meals five times a day.

The ones who were starting to perfect a human guise were then taken out regularly to learn to hunt and gather in the local forests for most of their meals. It was an important skill to have. Most secret _kitsune _dens only had six to eight public "family" members. Buying food for nearly three times that many would raise suspicions around them. Children didn't remain children forever. Someday the established dens would fall into the management of the pups being trained now.

There were no pups at the table and the hour indicated this was the last round of the dinner meal to be served for the night. Weaned pups were always served first and put to bed early. Nursing pups were kept in the secret portions of the den if there were any. Those being trained to hunt and gather, typically ate in the second round.

Visitors were often only admitted into the last round as the only participants were usually those publicly known. Tasuke and Fujimoto Moriko welcomed Kagome and Sesshoumaru to the table.

"Sesshoumaru_-sama_, it is a great honor to offer you hospitality," the young female offered. Scent told him that her apparent age was mostly accurate to her development. Moriko was in that middling age that placed her at late adolescence on the verge of maturity but still mastering her personal identity and grasp of ethics. "Higurashi-_san_ is occasionally a guest of our kitchen but not often of our table."

"To visit too often without an overt justifiable reason would invite unnecessary scrutiny," Kagome objected to the hidden criticism. "Town opinion and the rumor mill can't be allowed to turn on your family specifically."

"Maybe," Moriko shrugged, before continuing slyly. "But more than Tasuke-_kun_ are disappointed by your reticence."

Tasuke growled a light protest before nodding a respectful bow to both guests in their midst. "Sesshoumaru-_sama_, please ignore the empty prattling of a child who hasn't yet mastered the proper manners needed to welcome and honor company," he glared at his "cousin". "Higurashi-_sama_, it is a great pleasure that you could join us, however often it is you feel is right." Sesshoumaru's nose identified Tasuke as much older than the role he was playing. In all likelihood, the clan was establishing the next round of public faces with this current fostering. The fox had probably fostered in the area a few decades back, but would stay on in a position of some respectability this time. Tasuke was to be Natsuo's future replacement as Reynard of the perceived clan.

"Your welcome is gratefully received," Kagome nodded with a smile. "It smells wonderful." Higurashi's focus was quickly withdrawn from the two seated fox _youkai_ to the busy efforts of Naoki and Oki to make her comfortable. Her free hand reached up to undo the buckled strap of her sling and loose her arm for use. It appeared she had every intention of using both hands to eat her meal.

Sesshoumaru found no reason to take issue with the action. Her hand and arm were undamaged. It was unlikely she would be attempting to lift anything heavier than her rice bowl and chopsticks at the table. But Natsuo seemed to see things differently.

"You put that back on!" the matron demanded sternly causing the pair of _shimarisu_ to jump in surprise. "You said you would wear it and wear it you will!"

"You make me question whether entrusting you and your clan with the kits in my care was in their best interests," Kagome calmly declared. "When I arrived, you and your family had needlessly driven them into a panic over an injury you knew wasn't dire. I had to calm them after they had worried themselves into a frenzy. When I finally managed to soothe them you startle them again over something small and inconsequential."

"Higurashi!" Natsuo protested.

"I realize that keeping Naoki-_kun_ and Oki-_chan_ on the shrine was not possible with the traffic expected for _Hatsumode_. They could not stay with me safely, but their lives have been terribly marked by abandonment and upheaval in recent months. Being moved from the shrine, even temporarily, could not but be stressful. You and your family convincing them that the one person they've come to rely on might not come back because of attack and injury is not necessary nor helpful," Kagome continued firmly. "I may be human and terribly mortal. But I am also resilient, and the only person currently providing them constant care. You need to knock off your reactionary bullshit before I find a reason to get angry about it."

Sesshoumaru flared his _youki _to cut off any continued protest the fox might speak. "Higurashi speaks true. These pups need calm, security, and care," his golden eyes glared at the current "family" matron. "At no point today was she in serious danger of death. As such communicating the danger of attack, once past, was her purview and task, not yours."

Kagome reached out to pull out some of the stewing food at the center of the table only to wince and draw her arm back. She lifted the tip of her chopsticks to her bottom lip and considered the arrangement on the table a moment.

Sesshoumaru raised a brow as he realized her trouble. Reaching to the hotpot settled in the middle of the flat surface tugged at the fresh stitches on her shoulder. Continuing to reach for a portion of the meal would likely tear the stitches and the wound undoing the work of Kinomori-_sensei. _Oki quickly figured out the problem also and lifted herself up on the edge of the table to reach into the hotpot with a short spoon. On Kagome's other side Naoki grabbed the shallow plate provided and nudged it closer to catch what his younger sibling scooped out.

"Thank you very much," Kagome smiled at the pair warmly. "I told you I missed you!" Oki beamed and continued to lean forward to vigilantly refill Kagome's plate as Higurashi pushed it forward.

Naoki turned to Sesshoumaru and frowned at the absence of any movement to partake of the meal. "Don't worry, Naoki-_kun_," Kagome called to the pup having observed the direction of this attention. "The _daijin_ can decide when he's hungry and provide for himself appropriately. He is mostly here to check on you and your sister." She winked at the small male as his eyes swung back to her. "I told you he missed you!" she teased him lightly. "Why don't you and Oki-_chan_ show me what you've done while you've been visiting the _kitsune_."

The pair abruptly abandoned the table to run from the room only to return just as quickly with messy bunches of paper clasped in their arms. Oki pressed forward first and Naoki settled to the side in wait of his turn.

Kagome flipped through the pages of colored pictures and praised each one enthusiastically. "I'm going to have to purchase new books to store them all in. These are all so wonderful!" Oki glowed under the praise. Naoki took the time to organize his stack, pulling one page out to place face down on the floor under the table next to Sesshoumaru's knee. "What have you done Naoki-_kun_?" Kagome turned her attention to the older male. His stack of pages weren't simply colored pictures pulled from a coloring book. His were free drawings he'd created and colored on his own. Each received just as much praise, though the words were different from Oki's stack. "This is a very good depiction of Yui napping. He's so cute and the colors are so very bright!"

Sesshoumaru was equally impressed with Naoki's portraiture. The individuals he could identify were well sketched and easily identifiable. The colors were a bit crude given the limited number in a basic crayon box, but blending came with education and practice. The pup's reticence in showing the one picture hidden under the table piqued Sesshoumaru's curiosity though.

"Higurashi-_san_," Natsuo cut in impatiently. "Are you going to eat or admire art?"

"I didn't realize you expected me to eat with my eyes," Kagome snorted. "It would prove more effective to use my hands and mouth." which she already was, the nearly empty rice bowl clearly proved that fact.

"You're allowing them to distract you from your meal," Natsuo protested petulantly, unwilling to give up the point.

"No," Kagome shook her head, eyes wide at the fox's blustery refusal to allow the _Jinja no Sewanin_ to enjoy her meal as she chose. "I am allowing them to enrich it with beautiful art that allows us to discuss their day. It is a normal conversation to have over dinner."

"They don't talk," Tasuke pointed out.

"They talk fine," Kagome corrected gently. "You simply have to know how to listen."

"I've spent all day with them," Moriko huffed. "Neither one has said a word!"

"Oh well words," Kagome laughed brightly. "If all the world used words to communicate it wouldn't have taken so long to establish peace between cultures and species!" She winked at the chipmunk male leaning into her side as he shuffled through his stack of drawings. "I'll let you in on a secret the shrine families discovered long ago and only a few ever managed to use in any capacity. Don't look for words. Communication won't always be verbalized. Naoki-_kun_ tells me he missed me by his excitement when we are reunited. Oki-_chan_ tells me she had fun today by her enthusiasm to show me what she did. They prove they care by solving a problem that would prevent me from eating comfortably without being told to." Kagome raised her hand to pat Oki on the head affectionately. "They shout their joy at being safe and cared for. You are truly deaf if you missed all that."

Sesshoumaru observed the three foxes, wondering at their inability to pick up on what Higurashi had to point out. They were certainly not specific ideas. Kagome didn't know exactly what her charges had done all day without her, though Naoki's drawings told her rather explicitly who was around. She didn't know what they ate, how often or if they spent the entire day in one room or another. But she knew they were content with what they'd done. She knew they were safe and missed her.

It was more odd that the only human in their midst had picked up on all that, was content to know only that, where the _youkai_ had not.

There was plenty of information conveyed by nonverbal behaviors. Body language told a great deal. Facial expressions were fairly universal for the big emotions in young creatures that grew past the animal existence that expressed very little range. _Youkai _were closer to humans in their emotive expressions than their animal counterparts. Their faces were just more mobile and their model for evolution was the humans around them.

Oki and Naoki smiled when they were happy, frowned when they weren't and confusion was just as apparent when a situation arose they had no prior experience with. There were subtler expressions, conveyed more through the rest of their body language, but as easily decipherable if a person was paying attention.

"Hurry up and finish eating, Higurashi," Natsuo growled petulantly. Apparently, it was obvious what Sesshoumaru's thoughts were about the current subject and her clans' attention to his wards. It would have been a great honor to house any child associated with the _daijin_. Now it was certain, the Fujimoto enclave here wouldn't receive it when the time came to decide where Oki and Naoki would be moved come spring.

Her bad mood quieted Tasuke and Moriko from much conversation, but Kagome was resilient, Oki was oblivious, and Naoki was more concerned with Sesshoumaru's behavior.

"I'll finish eating when I finish, not before," Kagome scoffed as she smiled at Oki for spooning up some more vegetables and meat from the pot. "Thank you," she offered the little female in gratitude before making sure to eat everything the pup gave her. "Eating too fast is bad for everybody. I might choke or overeat," she shrugged at Natsuo's sullen expression. "That would defeat the purpose of eating to improve my health. Besides, dinner is good and I want to savor it while I view these masterpieces!"

Naoki glanced pointedly at Kagome's empty rice bowl. "You think I'm done?" Kagome asked him, turning her attention from the glowering set of foxes. She playfully frowned down at her bowl. "I suppose I could be, but art is very good for the digestion too." she teased him and he squirmed away when she tickled her fingers through the fur on his side.

"Give me your bowl, Higurashi," Natsuo gruffly demanded of the distracted human in their midst. One hand was reaching for the simple dish held firmly in Kagome's grip while the other hand wielded the rice paddle threateningly.

"You cannot think that more food will fit in my belly," Kagome shook her head at the meddlesome _kitsune_. Pulling her empty dish closer to her body and farther away from the grasping reach of her imposing host. "You'd just be wasting food!"

"You skipped a meal," the fox matron returned strongly. Sesshoumaru wondered at the female's willful determination. He was certain the public face of the Fujimoto Leash out here was old enough to experience humans recovering from malnutrition first hand. You didn't attempt to fix their health all at once. It was ineffective and occasionally made the problems worse. "Humans require regular meals to maintain good health and proper nutrition."

"And my very human stomach can only fit so much in it at one time," Kagome huffed back at her, incredulously. It surprised her that someone who had served as a nurse for so long wouldn't already know this. "Forcing more food will only prompt my digestive system to protect itself by ejecting slightly more than the surplus."

"Nonsense," Fujimoto Natsuo blinked in disbelief. Sesshoumaru was forced to reevaluate his judgment towards her possible age. Scent indicated the female was fully matured and aged some beyond that. Someone with claim to so many years usually couldn't also claim to be sheltered enough to be this ignorant of the mortal race that shared the world.

"Some nurse you are," Kagome scowled at the _youkai_ trying to over stuff an organ already stretched to capacity. "Overfeeding someone just makes them sick. I have no desire to throw up a perfectly good dinner because you think I should eat more than I know I can handle."

Tasuke and Moriko watched the interaction as words bouncing from one opponent to the next, though their gazes were beginning to linger on Natsuo as the spat continued. Their eyes were widening in increasing astonishment. Likely, neither of the younger clansmen could believe their elder's behavior either.

"Natsuo, stop it," Kagome demanded of the elder female. "I am not one of your kits or a member of your Leash. I am not one of the other hidden _youkai_ in town, nor am I currently your patient. I do not answer to your whims or orders and only concede to them when I am feeling indulgent. I am the shrine representative. I am supposed to exist outside factions within a community. You are an occasional ally, sometimes a friend, but not my superior or boss." She took a slow weary breath, Sesshoumaru assumed she was attempting to calm her temper or allow the fox to consider the words just spoken.

Before the conversation could continue, Tasuke spoke up to divert the subject. "We apologize greatly for the conduct of our representative towards you, Higurashi-_sama_. Diplomacy is not often the strong suit of _kitsune_ in general and becomes increasingly taxing over time," the seeming teenager bowed deeply to Kagome in apology.

"Hn," Sesshoumaru commented to cut off Natsuo's negations or Moriko's curious questions. The apology was well placed and well timed in his opinion. Kagome had given several indications that she was coming to the end of her rope with the fox.

If Tasuke hadn't interfered when he did, Sesshoumaru would have. Shrine families were allies. They were a respected power in the _youkai _world. Some strove to accommodate specific species predilections in their dealings to ease negotiations for peaceful coexistence in their communities. They were not required to indulge the bad attitudes of the hidden _youkai_ communities to the extent that Kagome had for Natsuo. Shrine families were owed respect and a certain amount of deference.

The_ Jinja no Sewanin_ had already suffered physical attack due to a lack of respect, Sesshoumaru had no desire to see a Higurashi further injured in any way by one of his own people. Natsuo was pushing it with her combative scolding before they arrived. Insisting on feeding the human until she threw up was an attack too, one Sesshoumaru would have prevented with violence. Tasuke speaking up had likely saved Natsuo from Sesshoumaru's retaliation on Kagome's behalf.

Higurashi was not a child, her doctor declared her health fine and Sesshoumaru was inclined to take his word for it over the _kitsune_. Even he knew that you couldn't fix a drought with a deluge, starvation couldn't be instantly corrected with a feast.

Kagome wasn't starving, but the premise held true.

Regardless, Natsuo was in the wrong trying to impose her solution on Higurashi after the doctor had already cleared his patient for a normal evening with minimal adjustment from a regular routine.

"Perhaps in effort to correct this breech in hospitality, you might allow us to offer you a greater accommodation," Tasuke continued after a pause. "May we offer you a bath with the assistance of Moriko? Your injury required stitches which must be kept dry. I also know such injuries tend to produce sore muscles that benefit from a soak. The location of the injury would make that difficult to accomplish while adhering to the care of your stitches."

Moriko exhaled loudly and rolled her eyes. "_Kami_ that was dumb," She criticized. "I can't believe you felt the need to apologize for my manners before turning around and doing that!"

"Shut your mouth," Tasuke growled at the younger fox.

"There's nowhere in this country where offering someone who isn't staying the night a bath in mixed company like that is politely acceptable!" Moriko growled back. "For all that you are supposed to be the new Reynard of this Leash, you are still male where Higurashi-_sama_ is decidedly female. However much respect we hold for her office, we are not so close that the lines of acceptable politeness can be that blurred! We are not her particular friends, we are not extended family and Higurashi will not be a guest of this house long enough for that particular offer to be considered an expected part of our hospitality."

"Moriko is correct," Natsuo put in, only slightly recovered from Tasuke's interruption and criticism of her own behavior. "I may have been able to make the offer in a medical capacity as you correctly assessed the reasons for making such an offer and Moriko might have been able to do it under the excuse of inexperience and youth. We are both female, whereas you aren't even the official Reynard yet. The offer, coming from you, was inappropriate at best."

"It was perverted!" Moriko huffed. "Clearly instinct overcame good sense!" she rolled her eyes at him again. It was common knowledge that _kitsune _were tricksters. It was only slightly lesser known that foxes were sexual teases and big on seducing reactions out of everyone they thought they could. It was an often well utilized skill used for their own protection, but it was also a great pleasure. The draw was bigger to individuals of opposite gender. Moreso among fully matured individuals old enough to procreate.

Sesshoumaru observed the devolving situation with growing irritation. _Kitsune_ were not so tiresome individually, and even in small groups in public, they could be easily tolerated and counted on to behave respectably. Groups larger than two or three, especially in a private setting were trouble. They were easily lead down tangential paths, their joint tendency towards mischief, dissent, and argument for its own sake could turn a simple task into an hours-long headache for anyone trapped in the same room.

The two young ones stared in rapt attention at the spectacle developing on the other side of the table. It was too noisy and too volatile for such traumatized pups to ignore. Instinct and possibly their earliest guardians had likely taught them such wariness around larger _youkai _who needlessly spiked their _youki_ in an otherwise peaceful environment. It was a good thing Naoki and Oki were only intended to remain with the Fujimoto leash one more day. The _shimarisu_ siblings would be nervous wrecks if forced to stay much longer than that. Kagome's point had been well made earlier. The small pair of young _youkai_ were beginning to shrink from their hosts even while their attention remained unwavering upon them.

It was Higurashi Kagome's reaction that truly spurred Sesshoumaru to act when he did. The human female had stood tall throughout the long day at the shrine. Her posture had conveyed genuine interest in well-wishing the disrespectful and disregarding visitors to the shrine. Her mien had been unchanging even in the face of physical attack. Here, out of the public eye, she'd allowed her patience to run out after a long day of abuse, selfishness, and haughty disdain. She'd allowed Natsuo to vent her fear and anxiety, heaping more abuse on the _Jinja no Sewanin _for receiving the injury at all, and now was the final insult.

Sesshoumaru esteemed her patience, her emotional stability, and her stamina. It had been a long day for a human, emotionally trying from the very start with the abusive phone call Inuyasha made **before** her time of waking. It was physically demanding, from the efforts to tidy up the shrine after nature's seasonal tantrums and hiccups to the blood she'd shed trying to keep the peace. The woman was only human and Kagome had very reasonably communicated that she was nearing the end of her tolerance for the unsolicited and oppressive methods made to see to her well-being. And now to be subject to this...

He completely understood the slumping of her posture, however so slight. The day had been exhausting in more ways than one. The _inu youkai_ fully excused the ever so quiet sigh of exasperation she released when presented with her hosts squabbling over details like tired children. In more violent times, Sesshoumaru himself likely would have ended _kitsune_ lives for such disrespect of surroundings and company.

**Sesshoumaru** was a visiting dignitary as far as the _kitsune_ family should see him. He wasn't and wouldn't be around long enough for the lines of hierarchical division to be crossed or smudged. They all should be on their best behavior.

Higurashi should also be owed the same courtesy, but he imagined the constant exposure to her presence had eroded the boundaries and evolved into a sort of familiarity that allowed such informal behavior. The argument was petty and without purpose. The offer had been made, Natsuo should only have done what she could to enforce the offer of allowing the _Jinja no Sewanin_ to use their bathing facilities while mitigating the possibility of any insult. Or she should have shortly retracted it, declared Tasuke out of line and apologized for the faux pas before closing the subject. Any abrading of the male could wait for privacy, handled with the air of a proper lecture as the error was explained and the correct behavior was demonstrated or taught in its place.

Kagome was at the end of what she could stand from her occasional companions and Sesshoumaru was at the end of his patience with this specific insult.

He let loose a short burst of _youki_ and a subvocal growl to communicate both his displeasure and disapproval. There was no sound to reach their ears. The growl moved so slowly as to be even below human hearing. It wasn't their ears he wished to reach. The vibration translated from his true form to this one was meant to be felt. And to his satisfaction the _kitsune_ felt it.

Sesshoumaru did not usually resort to such behavior. It was unlike him to allow the misbehavior of others to goad him into such short and overt retaliation, but it was also rare for him to have to put up with such bold displays of rudeness as well. And it was rare that he felt compelled to act on behalf of another person.

Thankfully, the squabbling stopped and all _youkai _attention in the room was drawn his way. Higurashi's eyes remained watching the others, unaware of everything going on in the room, though she did look a little worse for wear. His burst of energy likely caught her by surprise, but it was mostly directionless, localized and very small. Her own spiritual presence did not rise to respond or defend which only signified how very well controlled it was. Instead Higurashi looked a little green and Sesshoumaru suddenly remembered that some humans had a negative reaction to intense doses of the low frequency vibrations.

Sesshoumaru took a moment in the resulting silence to regret causing her issue, before shaking it off.

Kagome cleared her throat to redraw the attention in the room to the subject at hand. "As the offer was made with very good reasons and honest intentions, however likely other considerations influenced the mode of invitation, I believe I will take you up on it," she declared softly. "I would have difficulty performing the task on my own at home and the assistance of willing hands is much appreciated, provided suitable attire can be found to replace my current garments. It sort of defeats the purpose of bathing to climb back into dirty, blood-stained clothing."

There was a moment of undecided silence before Moriko rallied and responded. "Shouldn't be a problem, part of training requires mastering a number of different persona of both sexes," the spunky vixen declared. "Mastering clothing for each form doesn't come immediately so we always have extra clothing on hand." The fox's eyes roved over Kagome's current clothing before offering, "If you could leave your robes here, we might be able to save

them for you."

"I don't have any spares," Kagome shook her head as she stirred to rise from the low table.

"Then we'll be certain to get it done tonight," Natsuo finally recovered her aplomb to rejoin the conversation after Sesshoumaru's firm, if nonverbal reprimand. "Tasuke can drop off your repaired robes tomorrow morning when he heads up there for the day."

Higurashi nodded and turned to Oki with a smile, "Want to join me?"

The striped chipmunk stared at Kagome vaguely a moment as if surprised by the question before nodding enthusiastically in response to the invitation. As Higurashi pushed herself off the floor, Oki latched onto the back of the shrine robes opposite the tender injury so that her small body dangled off of Kagome's shoulder. The shrine caretaker then turned to the second of her charges and issued him the same invitation.

Naoki glanced from his guardian to Sesshoumaru before shaking his head against joining Kagome in her bath.

Higurashi's expression brightened as she took in the full effect of his communication. "You're probably right, one of us should remain with Sesshoumaru-_dono_. It would be a good time for you to tell him how you and your little sister are doing since his last visit," summing up her rather diplomatic interpretation of the chipmunks expressions. The human female turned her attention to her host and Oki as she passed from the room with excessively enthusiastic gestures and tones about her future enjoyment of washing with company.

Tasuke efficiently worked to clear the low table of place settings and the remains of their meal. Moriko disappeared into the deeper rooms to search out proper clothing for the _Jinja no Sewanin_ to borrow. Quickly the room emptied of all but the _inu_ and adolescent.

Amber eyes narrowed as he considered his remaining companion. Naoki stared after the retreating _kitsune_ for several long moments before reaching under the table to pull up the single drawing withheld from Kagome's perusal. The nervous child glanced back at the empty doorway before flipping the paper over and placing it on the table in front of the _daijin_.

Unlike the other drawings with their garishly bright colors, this humble depiction was nearly entirely done in shades of gray. Limned on the paper was Higurashi, tiredly ignoring everything in favor of the device held in her hand. Sesshoumaru recognized the pose even without the solo splash of color highlighting the phone.

This was not portraiture for the purpose of passing time. It was not an idle piece meant to display skill or improve shading technique. Naoki drew this image with intent to communicate anxiety and concern for his guardian. Kagome could hide very little from the watchful eyes of her charges. The very nature of their association prevented it. But for these few days when the shrine was overrun with visitors the pair of _shimarisu_ were with the woman all hours of the waking day.

Inuyasha's calls upset her. Naoki could tell. As such, the small male wanted to do something about it.

Most other males around Naoki's age would attempt to do things on his own. It was an age of trying to establish independence and emerging protective instincts. The boy's plunge under the ice had taught him limitations. There was little an immature chipmunk could do against a voice growling through a phone. Just as there had been little chance of Naoki clawing his way to freedom the day Kagome had taken the pair of _youkai_ in.

The boy was smart to raise his concerns with Sesshoumaru.

"Hn," came the comment. Sesshoumaru's golden eyes stared into the dark brown ones lined by black and white stripes.

The adolescent scowled at the _inu_ before stabbing a claw forcefully at the phone on the paper. The small point almost tore a hole in the page from his irritation. It was clear Naoki desired more of a response.

"This Sesshoumaru is working to correct the issue," rumbled from the silver male. "It will take time. The responsible party has many protections that must be worked around."

Naoki's shoulders sagged and his lip stuck out in a pout.

For Naoki, Inuyasha was a problem. The solution was to slay him or, barring that, silence the half _inu_ in gruesome ways. Sesshoumaru would love to do that. It was a simple resolution to a long term irritant. Unfortunately, the _hanyou_'s _youkai_ blood came from the _omo_, and Sesshoumaru's father. Masashi would not sit idly by while Sesshoumaru maimed Inuyasha, forget killing him.

Sesshoumaru would not explain what held him back from fratricide. Naoki would not understand it, likely viewing the intricate details that prevented the immediate violent punishment of Inuyasha as poor excuses for inaction. Family ties had already proven insufficient to prevent abuse and almost murder. Naoki and Oki had been abandoned by their **aunt** at the start of winter too near a human settlement.

Sesshoumaru remained silent after that, ending a conversation that never really started. The two males sat in tense, partially sullen silence as they waited for Kagome to return.


	8. Chapter 8

See notes in First Chapter.

**VIII**

Kagome came to a full stop on the marsh side of the road. A sharp breeze chilled down her spine reminding her that while she was warmly dressed it wasn't precisely sufficient for this time of year. The _kitsune_ had supplied her with an over-sized hooded sweatshirt and draw string pants. The material of both was thick and perfectly warm, but offered very little protection against air currents that moved so freely this close to the shore.

Still, it was better than her feet. Her hosts had kindly supplied her with clean socks. Unfortunately, Kagome's precipitous journey from the shrine to the clinic had left her with only the traditional sandals on her feet. With a fresh blanket of snow to walk through, her feet had quickly become soaked and, if not for the constant effort of walking, would already be half frozen.

Despite her discomfort, Kagome had one more thing to do before returning home tonight. Every visit to town included a careful examination of the town's side of the marsh for enterprising _koorigamo_ attempting to move in on the treaty protected stretch of shore. Ryoichi-_chiji-san_ did the same, albeit less frequently.

The brown bear's version of patrol was throwing his _youki_ around, stomping through the reeds quite aggressively and strong-arming any violators back to their community was effective when corralling their average trespassers, the ones influenced by little more than youthful ambition, fluctuating hormones, and an overabundance of confidence. Such males felt little reason to avoid the bear, convinced of their own invulnerability.

Ryoichi's approach lacked the subtlety required to catch the exceptional ones. The ones with a little more thought in their heads and a grasp of reality beyond what they have already experienced would never be caught by a charging assault. The _chiji_ of the area could be hidden from, his heightened senses could be thwarted, circumvented if only one were to anticipate the bear's coming and plan accordingly.

Such was why Kagome took a very different approach.

Standing in the thin layer of fresh fallen snow soaking into her borrowed socks, Kagome closed her eyes to the white glow of the moon on snow. With great care, she opened the lock on the cage that kept her _reiki_ bound away from the world around her. Concentrating on the task at hand, she spun gossamer thin threads of her power outward, slowly building and expanding a net to fling out over the territory she protected.

It wasn't a particularly potent amount of energy, barely enough to feel like static on the chilled air, but it wasn't meant to be felt by others. It was meant to be her web, allowing her to detect the slightest amount of _youki_ intruding on this side of the marsh. She didn't worry about the minor forest _youkai_ that were obviously visiting for the sole purpose of retrieving whatever could be scavenged from among the reeds. There were few willing to risk coming this close to town and the ones that did were desperate. Such visitors had no intention of staying longer than necessary and would likely be gone long before dawn.

Her net established, Kagome opened her eyes and turned to continue on the road. The web slowly turned over the grounds and water, using Kagome as the hub of it's incomplete wheel.

"Hn," Came the unexpected comment from Sesshoumaru. "Your control is acute," he declared.

Kagome nodded, "Yes." She agreed with his observation without assigning any more meaning to his words than the mere fact they conveyed. He wasn't complimenting her, just pointing out that her control was greater than most.

There were four levels of _reiki_ classes at the shrine school in Tokyo. Many shrine schools didn't offer that many. The first taught the most rudimentary and basic amount of _reiki_ control and use. All individuals born with _reiki_ were required to take it as a protection for society. By the end of the year long class, a student was expected to be able to "turn the tap off" as one of her teachers had put it. The class was designed to remove _reiki_ control from instinctive, reflexive bursts to conscious containment instead. To that end, most of the class was taken up with mental exercises that helped identify the source of power, what mental paths were required to effect it, and to strengthen those pathways. It was a lot of meditating, some yoga training, and basic chanting or mantra.

It was a lot to tackle in addition to a regular class schedule, but necessary.

Kagome shivered as she remembered the traumatic experience that taught her why.

As a member of a shrine family, Kagome had grown up making friends with all species indiscriminately. He best friend for many years was a shy but imaginative _ushi_ _youkai_ named Mina. When Kagome's _reiki_ began to manifest around nine years old, Mina would occasionally be the victim of an unintended zap. The girl would generally be good-natured about it, accepting Kagome's profuse apologies with every incident before returning to whatever activity they had been participating in.

Until Kagome turned ten. She and Mina had been waiting outside the school for Mina's uncle to pick her up. The girls were playing some playground game in the dirt with a stick when a small zap shocked Mina. Kagome had taken to hiding her hands behind her back, believing that her power was directed by her hands. Mina's sharp sound of minor, annoyed pain, didn't alarm their mothers, used to the occasional minor accident.

That time was different.

Kagome sighed to herself, releasing her breath in a cloud of unpleasant memory.

Before Kagome could offer her usual apologies the roar of a _youkai_ had startled her. She looked to see a rather large, intimidating male charging at her and Mina. Instinctively she'd raised her hands in protest and released her energy to defend her friend.

She managed to stop the bull all right, but without greater control, Kagome hadn't been able to direct her power in only one direction. Sometimes, late at night, Kagome could still hear Mina scream in pain.

Everyone was lucky Kagome wasn't at the peak of her power yet, as no one actually died that day. Mina and her (previously unknown) uncle were rushed to the hospital and Kagome was immediately enrolled in the shrine school class, bumping in mid-session instead of waiting for the next term to her energy had been unfocused by lack of control, she had badly maimed both instead of killing either.

A shrine healer from the school had been called in special to minimize the damage Kagome had done. At the urging of Mina's uncle, healing efforts had been focused on the younger _ushi_. Still, only so much could be fixed.

Mina lost sight in one eye. Her left arm had been purified to the shoulder and _reiki_ burns covered the half of her body closest to Kagome. The healer had managed to save the arm, but some damage was permanent. Mina's uncle lost both his forearms to the elbow. The burns were centralized mostly along the inside of his arms beyond the elbow and his barrel shaped chest.

Kagome reminded herself of why she was so careful with her control every time she used _reiki_ outside of shrine grounds.

That incident with Mina was why Kagome continued taking the classes beyond the second one, which taught _reiki_ users how to imbue physical objects with their power for the protection of the shrine, with its lessons in archery, crafting _sutra_ for exorcism and shielding, and other standard uses of "holy" energy. It was why she went beyond the third class that taught those keen enough to continue perfecting control to manipulate their power into imbuing parts of themselves such as lining a hand used to strike an opponent in a fight or encasing one's whole body like a shield against _youki_ infused attacks. It was also the driving motivation that pushed her to complete the most difficult course available as well. In the fourth class, you moved beyond charging things with energy and learned to manipulate the energy without any other medium.

Few bothered to go that far. Practical society only really needed the first and most shrines didn't need to learn beyond the second, though there was great honor in also pursuing the third class. By the time anyone reached the fourth class, which wasn't offered regularly as there wasn't much interest, you reached the realm of teachers, specialty healers, and the seemingly masochistic.

With the future Kagome had planned for herself, she wasn't required to obtain more control than containment of her natural born gift. With Mina's pain, Kagome couldn't abide anything less than complete and total control, full understanding of her capability, and the ability to fix it herself if she ever hurt someone again.

Turning her slightly distracted gaze to Sesshoumaru she considered the control that would be necessary to detect her careful manipulation of energy. His control was "acute" as well.

"Every time I come into town these days I make a point of checking the marsh," Kagome shrugged, distracting from the question he hadn't directly expressed. "I hope the need will become less immediate once the peak of mating season has passed and there is no reason to jostle about for prime nesting grounds."

Sesshoumaru's gaze remained directed down the white covered road that would take them back to the shrine. "What would be needed for the _shimarisu_ to remain in your care once the weather warms?"

Kagome considered him seriously before following his example to watch the road she was walking on. "The shrine is mostly deserted during the winter months. But when it starts to warm up, the path will not seem so onerous to take. When the fishing comes back into season, the shrine becomes an oasis of peace close enough to town to be popular," she explained. "To remain undetected, they would need to be away from the shrine much of the day. A shrine keeper has no guarantee to privacy, so even keeping them inside my quarters in the private areas of the shrine would not keep Naoki and Oki from discovery," she did not explain why that would be dangerous as a passing breeze drove shivers down her spine. Sesshoumaru was intelligent enough to know without stating the obvious. "Keeping them confined to the caretakers quarters like that would be torturous once they both regain adequate health. Young creatures of every species are naturally active, I'd rather not limit their movement cruelly, but I cannot be the one to take them out. My responsibilities to town require too much of my time to adequately monitor them. Beyond that, Naoki and Oki need to eventually be able to live as other _shimarisu_ do, in the forest. I do not want them to become dependent on the _youkai_ in town, that would not be healthy for them and would lead to increasing unhappiness the longer it is allowed to go on. Their species are forest dwellers by natural inclination and necessity. Making friends does no harm, occasional contact would likely be of some benefit in future. Dependency could only cause them problems." Kagome was mostly thinking out loud. If Their aunt had taken her new responsibilities seriously, neither kit would have experienced living in a shrine or staying over with town _youkai. _But there was no point pondering what should have happened when it didn't.

"None of the clans hidden in _Nishi no Mura_ could teach them how to live out there with any real success, and that's what they need," Kagome declared decisively. "Those two need to learn how to be what they are in their natural environment. They need a teacher that can be trusted to treat them well and genuinely wants them to be successful at surviving on their own someday." Kagome sighed again, briefly pausing to assess the information collected by her web of _reiki_. There was a pair of otter _youkai_ wandering in the low marsh. Their presence wasn't a concern as she was certain they wouldn't stay. Curiosity occasionally brought the sea mammals this far landward, but it wouldn't keep them. It was likely a mother and pup in search of food at this hour. The marsh could offer some sustenance but not enough to keep them long. The high marsh had drawn a group of _nihonjika_ tonight. The deer were likely foraging and also unlikely to stay long. Even the _youkai_ varieties were shy of humans in this area.

"Your reasoning is sound," Sesshoumaru's voice brought her back to the subject they were discussing. Dividing her attention was a rudeness she knew he didn't mind right now. She was working.

"The problem is finding such a teacher," Kagome added. There were not many that would be willing to take on two kits to teach even without having to house and feed them. Forest _youkai_ were leery of outsiders and even children weren't widely welcomed without blood ties. It wasn't impossible but it would be, "Quite a challenge, I suppose." Kagome observed absently as she continued to monitor the information her web was feeding her.

She came to an abrupt stop once she felt the darting approach of a single _koorigamo_. "I believe the local problem community have sent an emissary to greet their _daijin_," she informed Sesshoumaru neutrally. They likely wanted to insure that their side of the situation was being communicated to their satisfaction. "It is possible the younger generation has convinced the elders to lodge a complaint." Because Kagome was unfairly enforcing the treaty that had allowed their numbers to recover. She wanted to scoff, to roll her eyes, to speak her true opinion of the situation.

Sesshoumaru came to a stop and turned to look in the direction of the approaching bird. Kagome kept staring down the road that would lead her home for the night. Knowing the _koorigamo_ as she did, there was no chance she'd be home soon. She wasn't dressed for prolonged exposure to the cold night air, but it wouldn't matter. The birds would insist on her presence and even if they didn't, the _daijin_ would. Neither would consider the elements in deciding how long this little meeting would last as the _koorigamo_ used the cold as a weapon during combat and Sesshoumaru had a full on fur coat in his true form. It was only Kagome who was human and under dressed. The _koorigamo_ idea of shelter was an open air nest on the marshy shore.

Kagome drew in a deep freezing breath and held it. Counting to ten slowly before releasing it in a slow effort to manufacture a calm that wasn't coming naturally.

Much as she would like to leave Sesshoumaru to deal with the birds - his people - on his own, Kagome knew that even if the birds or the dog would let her avoid this particular meeting, it would only cause her problems later on.

The _koorigamo_ weren't above telling her that Sesshoumaru approved something he didn't and vice versa. Like children pitting one parent against the other, if they couldn't successfully achieve the solution they were aiming for through direct methods, they would use other means.

In the eyes of the young long-tailed ducks, the ideal solution would be to hand over the marsh in its entirety. They didn't have the personal memory or historical understanding of just why that wouldn't work. Yes, _youkai_ were inherently stronger than humans, one to one. Yes, _youkai_ were less vulnerable to the elements, spent more time in the marshes, and made greater use of its resources. That didn't mean that allowing the birds to nest on the near side of the marsh wouldn't result in a drastic reduction in population

Nesting season lasted through the first thaw and into mid spring. The road would see an uptick in traffic as seasonal fisherman returned to the area and drove their boats to launch. Classes would be brought out to the marsh to teach about its ecosystem, the water cycle, and to conduct a trash clean up, the first for the year. Mothers of young children would bring lunches so their toddlers could enjoy the sun and nature for the first time in months before the docks began to stink from summer heat. Teenagers would escape to the reeds and tall grasses to evade adult supervision.

There would be a lot of disruptions on the _Nishi no Mura_ side of the marsh, ones that would lead stressed out, protective, nesting birds to attack regardless of human intent. It was why the boundaries were set where they were.

A few too many humans were killed by nesting birds, which had resulted in a few mobs hunting out _youkai_ killers, which had cycled back again. In the end, the town numbers had remained robust while the _koorigamo_ had dwindled rapidly. It wasn't like birds would act as a community while they were all busy with individual nesting demands.

"Sesshoumaru-_sama_," the approaching _youkai_ addressed her companion as he landed. This male was older than the one she'd rescued Naoki from back in the fall, though he wasn't an elder. "The elders send greetings and request your attendance at a renegotiation of the treaty that no longer serves the _koorigamo_ community." This male's face and exposed skin did not hold the telltale discoloration carried over from his feathers, a sure sign of maturity.

Kagome did not recognize him as one she had communicated with before, but it didn't surprise her. Their community was fairly large and she often made a point of only dealing with the elders.

"Hn," the _inu_'s monosyllabic acknowledgment conveyed little of his thoughts. "They could not leave this to Ryoichi's handling?" The words themselves indicated a mild irritation at the arrogance in jumping protocol. Sesshoumaru delegated much of the everyday minutiae of governing for a reason.

Kagome remained silent. The younger birds did not like the _higuma_ as Ryoichi generally sided with the shrine treaty. He rarely even let them talk, not that Kagome blamed him. The majority of the group who argued for a new treaty were full of whiny testimonials about why they needed a new one. Reason, historical fact, and anecdotal accounts from their elders could not sway them.

Kagome returned her attention to the road that lead home, dismissing the messenger who failed to acknowledge her. Today was just full of little rude kicks to her side. She kept her tongue about it because it didn't matter if they liked her. They could think her unfair, ignorant, and biased all they wanted, but she wouldn't budge on the boundary lines. The _koorigamo_ weren't barred from this side of the marsh entirely, they could forage here all they wanted. It was nesting that wasn't allowed, and nesting only. Disputes over foraging territories were never so deadly as ones in protection of nesting claims.

"This requires a more delicate touch than some bumbling bear," came the wry response. Kagome glanced at Sesshoumaru and saw the minute tightening of his jaw that told her that this fool had made a grievous error before the would-be negotiations had even started. Sesshoumaru had appointed that "bumbling bear" after all. To insult his choice was to deride Sesshoumaru's decision making skills. Diplomacy and tact were seemingly rare qualities in the local _youkai_.

"Hn," was the only thing he said though. Kagome kept her expression neutral, allowing the _daijin_ to continue this meeting as he saw fit. She didn't know how versed the _inu_ was in regards to this specific treaty, there were many in existence wherever _youkai _and humans lived in close proximity. Although, she would be surprised if Sesshoumaru hadn't made himself familiar with this one with the reports of brewing trouble.

"If it is convenient for our esteemed _daijin_, the elders are prepared to conduct this meeting now," the oblivious male continued. It was clear that Sesshoumaru's convenience hadn't really been considered beyond the fact he happened to be in the area.

Because she was watching for it, Kagome saw as the great dog narrowed his eyes at the insulting summons. The _koorigamo_ were likely to regret such high-handed machinations. Sesshoumaru was clearly annoyed, likely more than a little. She wanted to shake her head at the botched handling of this very short conversation. This unnamed long-tailed bird was turning the favor of their _daijin_ rather firmly against their aims.

"Higurashi-_san_" Sesshoumaru warned vaguely before they were once again floating in the air on a cloud of his _youki_. This time her flight through the air was frigid, the edge of adrenaline from the abrupt ascent wasn't enough to fight the chill and her breath stabbed through her chest like inhaling ice. The sensation made her cough fitfully and her eyes water.

Her full stomach protested the abrupt move and she struggled to end her coughing fit before her dinner ejected itself. She would have to remember to discuss a rule limiting flight immediately following any meal she consumed. It would hardly be dignified to lose her lunch all over herself and the _youkai_ so foolish as to jerk her about like a rag doll.

It took Kagome a moment to realize that despite being in the air, they weren't really moving in any direction. Looking down she noticed that the slow witted messenger was holding them up as the bird had yet to leave the ground. Sesshoumaru couldn't very well speed them to a destination without knowledge of where he was expected. The clinic was easy to find by scent and verbal direction from Kagome earlier. It was impossible to be certain of finding a meeting place in the middle of _koorigamo_ territory without better information.

The _Jinja no Sewanin_ stared down at the irksome male from her perch against Sesshoumaru on his cloud of energy. Her toes tingled at the close contact with his _youki _giving her a warm, slightly uncomfortable sensation. Unfortunately, the rest of her was freezing fast. The height wasn't much greater than the nearest two story buildings, but it took her out of what little wind shelter was to be had from the brush that dotted the ground. The night was cooler than the day, the air spiked cold into her lungs, but it was the wind that truly cut at her.

Carefully, she released control of the sensing net Kagome had deployed over the marsh. They would be moving rather quickly; if she continued to hold it, the threads were likely to collapse in a trailing cable that would tell her nothing and potentially harm any _youkai_ it touched. Each individual thread held a minuscule amount of power, not even enough to cause a small charged zap like static electricity. Combined in one thick clump, well it would cause a burn effect that would be slightly more painful than too much sun exposure on skin. Besides, she wasn't certain how her dragged netting would effect Sesshoumaru's _youki_ cloud.

Without her consciously and actively willing her _reiki_ into shape, the energy would dissipate into the atmosphere, rejoining the neutral natural energies that cycled through all life. It was only the various _mononoke_, _youkai_, _kami_, and select humans that took that energy in, focused it and tuned it into the charged and opposing types.

Kagome waited impatiently for their guide to clean the feathers out of his brain. Her wet hair was freezing in stick-like strands under the hood of her borrowed sweatshirt and her fingers were starting to cramp up. She grit her teeth tightly together in hopes of preventing them from chattering but she couldn't prevent the violent spasms that periodically rocked her body.

The involuntary motion lead Sesshoumaru to tighten his arm around her waist, ensuring her stability upon his cloud. Their guide finally got his rump off the ground and sped across the marsh giving her escort a trail to follow.

If the wind was bad while hovering in one place, it was much worse in movement. What little body heat Kagome managed to generate was quickly blown away behind them, increasing the frequency of her shivers.

"You are well, Higurashi," came the directive as his arm tightened about her once again. It wasn't toned as an inquiry, he wasn't asking how she was and it wasn't a statement as it lacked the confidence of Sesshoumaru's usual observations. In all likelihood, the _daijin_ knew humans were susceptible to temperature fluctuations and exposure. Kagome had found that even the most knowledgeable _youkai_ who spent a great deal of time around humans were a bit hazy about specifics regarding environmental effects.

Instead of answering, Kagome raised an eyebrow before turning to stare at him incredulously. Her intention was to draw his attention to his uncharacteristic behavior. Sesshoumaru was known to display reticent respect towards shrine families and officials. He did not encourage familiarity or display any pointed concern for specific humans.

She could understand greater attention, delving into her personal history because of her guardianship of his charges. Getting her help with an injury incurred defending him, wasn't a special move. Expressing worry, no matter how mild or ineffable was surreal given what the shrines knew about him. It meant he was singling her out and the only reason likely for this level of concern given his general distance from humans was the fall out from her interactions with Inuyasha. Kagome did not like to think she was being given special treatment because of her history with Inuyasha.

Kagome didn't for a minute think Sesshoumaru had any other particular interest in her. The elder son of Masashi may not have Inuyasha's promiscuous reputation, but Sesshoumaru's regular interactions with humans had made it clear that he rarely looked beyond the family lines for identification and that was among the shrine network itself. Any mortal **not** associated with a shrine position didn't even warrant that courtesy.

She was startled out of her design by the reality of their physical closeness. Kagome's whole side was pressed into the hard bulk of his body. The great _inu_'s body heat seeped through the cotton of her borrowed clothes where ever their individual edges came in contact. The foreign warmth was made all the more obvious by the swift theft of it by the wind anywhere they weren't touching.

Kagome's reaction was immediate, physical, and easily communicated to the _youkai_ transporting her across the marsh. She couldn't have hidden the sudden tension that characterized every voluntary muscle in her body. It had been years since she'd been this close to another adult body. She didn't know how to handle it in the present instance.

Sesshoumaru shared far too many physical traits with the last none family member she'd been this close to.

"Higurashi," the _inu _intoned. Her reaction was wouldn't be easily explained, and she didn't even want to attempt it on the verge of holding court with an entire _youkai_ community. When Sesshoumaru bent his attention more in her direction, closing what little distance had remained between them, Kagome turned away to breathe.

For some reason, she felt unaccountably silly. Naoki and Oki were not shy about touching. More nights than not, the kits weaseled their way into Kagome's blankets for warmth and comfort. Their furry bodies snuggled against her at night made her almost too warm, but somehow didn't seem anywhere near as intrusive as talking to Sesshoumaru with only his arm wrapped around her while facing each other.

It was easier to ignore the closeness when facing away. Kagome hadn't even noticed it in their earlier trip because her attention had been fully on their destination after she'd withdrawn it from where they'd been. She'd also been protected by pain, irritation at Natsuo, and an actual goal. All three factors were missing at present.

The pain of her sore shoulder was an easily ignored ache compared with the chill. Her irritation was directed at the situation and Sesshoumaru himself, making him a little more predominate in her thoughts and keeping her attention in the here and now. As for a goal, it was a goal that had already been achieved and maintained for decades now. Kagome well knew that the _koorigamo_ elders were all on the side of keeping the treaty as it was, remembering well how life in the marsh had been before it. There was nothing new to achieve, no resolution to be found beside finding a way to silence the whiny, self-entitled demands of the new generation.

Kagome wished for a distraction before she made a fool of herself. Being ignored by their guide wasn't distracting enough.

"Higurashi?" A real question now, Sesshoumaru's tone had softened and gone quiet with confusion.

"I'm fine," Kagome announced trying to convince herself as much as the tall male beside her. Her voice was almost normal for the short statement. She tried to project a slightly irked calm so that Sesshoumaru might assume her reactions were either due to the long-tailed bird's continued rudeness or a result of the approaching confrontation where their guide's snub would be taken up by a number of others. It was certainly a reasonable assumption. Except for the abrupt onset halfway across the marsh, leaving no immediately obvious cause.

A violent shiver racked her body and hurt all the more for the tension threaded through it. But it did shake some of her muscles loose.

Turning her attention ahead of them, Kagome realized that her hope of standing on ice instead of in snow wouldn't be realized. The marsh didn't freeze solid in winter, the difference between low and high tide were too varied to freeze naturally. It was possible that the birds could freeze a section of water for the duration of their meeting. Apparently it wasn't going to happen that way.

They had already passed the areas of the marsh that were currently submerged. This late in the evening was high tide. She supposed it was unreasonable to expect it. The waters, whatever the tide, were always in the prime nesting zones. No chance outsiders would be invited there at any time.

Sesshoumaru may be the northern _daijin_, but he wasn't _koorigamo_ and therefore a threat to nests and young. Besides, before the peace, _inu _were known to hunt all sorts of birds for sport. It was in their nature, some instinct kept in the greater species from the lessor.

This only meant that Kagome would inevitably be standing in a pile of fresh, quickly melting snow. Her feet would be soaked and freezing before she managed to make it home. Frost bite might even be a risk if the meeting lasted long enough.

Once they crossed the edge of the marsh and explored a ways into the tree covered expanse beyond, their destination became obvious. The rustle of feathers brushing against each other as birds moved and settled into wait could not be obscured in the winter quiet. A soft murmur of impatient voices blended with the physical din that even Kagome's human senses picked up several minutes before anything of the flock came into view, even with Sesshoumaru's speed.

A clear space was left for them next to a tree. The majority of the gathered birds had settled about the area facing that spot. Kagome bit her lip to stifle a sigh, she wondered who had displayed the forethought to insure that Sesshoumaru was not forced to put his back to any group of _youkai_. With all the false moves that had already been made, she wanted to applaud the intelligence evinced by this result.

She bit harder on her lip when the big _inu_ carrying her alit in the space provided. The increased pressure on her chapped lips helped to trap a hiss of annoyance as Kagome's socks were almost immediately soaked through with snow melt.

The moment Sesshoumaru released his grip on her waist, Kagome stepped away from would both need room to maneuver if things became unpleasant. The older _youkai_ would refrain from making aggressive moves unless they felt directly, physically threatened. The younger generations were more impulsive, impetuous. The more prideful males would attack for any perceived insult. That was another reason Kagome preferred to deal with the elders almost exclusively. They had the confidence and security to let petty insults slide, as they knew such insults were more a reflection of the nasty individual issuing the insult than the one being insulted.

Besides, even a completely peaceful negotiation could be unduly influenced by appearance. If she stood too close to Sesshoumaru, it would appear that she had influenced his judgment. She wanted to snort her opinion of that possibility. The shrine families were quite solid on the reality that nobody influenced Masashi's eldest without being measured, vetted, and then usually ignored anyway. Sesshoumaru made his own judgments. But not everyone was privy to the shrine pools of information on the influential _youkai_ in Japan.

Still, some things were basic. Such as not standing behind an _inu_ facing off with a crowd. Which is exactly what Sesshoumaru was doing however this little "meeting" turned out. He held no real common ground on this particular treaty. It didn't directly affect him. Kagome rather doubted the ones demanding renegotiation had thought of that.

Kagome glanced over the flock that was slightly obscured by the trees blocking the moonlight. She was thankful for the additional glow from the snow on the ground to help her see, even if it was making her feet go numb where she stood. She was prone to the same illusions of safety when it came to sight as other members of her species. She'd be more nervous faced with such a large horde if she couldn't see most of it.

As it was, she very carefully tapped into her _reiki_ to coat every inch of her skin in a thin protective layer to block any energy attack thrown her way. All _youkai_ had faster reflexes than she did. Kagome would be struck before she even knew she'd been attacked if one of the crowd decided to move things in a more physical direction.

Her new energy armor wouldn't exactly protect her from a punch, kick or slap. Impact would be felt if she was knocked off her feet, but she wouldn't be frozen solid in a _youki_ attack.

Movement to her side drew Kagome's attention back to the _daijin_ only to find Sesshoumaru's shrewd golden eyes, narrowed at her. "Hn," was the only sound he made, but just that soft note was enough to tell her that he'd felt what she'd done.

Kagome raised her eyebrow and widened her eyes innocently. The move she'd made was defensive, though the second skin would enhance any attacks she made if the _Jinja no Sewanin_ did strike out. She'd basically imbued her whole body with energy opposed to him and the entirety of the people around her.

Any other high ranking _youkai_ in Masashi's government might take it as an act of aggression if she wasn't associated with the shrines. If they could sense what she'd done in the first place. Kagome had used the slightest amount of energy needed to deflect _youki_ and protect her hide. If she wanted to block an attack entirely, that would take far more energy. Once again, Sesshoumaru's own level of control was the only thing that had alerted him that she was using any energy at all.

Kagome swept her eyes pointedly towards the crowd before she returned her gaze to Sesshoumaru. His eyes narrowed and his chin dipped minutely to communicate he'd gotten the message.

"What is **she** doing here?" demanded a young male Kagome recognized. It was the same arrogant fool that had nearly drowned Naoki. There had been several encounters since then as the male refused to accept the inevitable.

"You are out of line, Daiki," An elder Kagome had dealt with before tried to rein the youngster in. Ayaki was one of the most respected elders due to his considerable size, his travels in his long ago youth, and his lingering brute strength. He was usually a fairly even-tempered _youkai_, but this latest crop of newly minted males were wearing on him as much as Kagome and Ryoichi.

"This Sesshoumaru is not in the habit of wasting time," the _daijin_ cut in. "This is a negotiation of the current treaty, therefore the shrine must be represented and weigh in on any talks towards alteration," the _inu_ droned on. It wasn't hard to figure out that Daiki's ignorance was annoying Sesshoumaru.

"She is decidedly biased towards the humans," Daiki petulantly continued in marked disrespect for his elder and completely missing the hint at the danger he was in. Sesshoumaru was known to lash out at fools that failed to evince certain levels of self-preservation.

"Indeed," Sesshoumaru replied in a quelling tone.

"If you want to live, I suggest you stop talking, Daiki," hissed the male that continued to snub Kagome. "The woman was with him when I approached the _daijin,_ there was no help for it."

"But she won't even hear of adjusting the treaty," Daiki whined loudly. "The humans aren't using the marsh for anything. It should be ours."

"The youth today are all fools," Ayaki sighed in embarrassment. "I apologize for their uncouth behavior in the presence of visitors. We have reminded them that the humans return to the marsh before nesting season ends but they do not listen."

"We have taught them what nesting on the far side of the marsh brings," another elder continued. Chizue wasn't as old as Ayaki, but she had other experiences that brought her great respect. "They dismiss it as no longer possible because they have never suffered through it."

"The humans are weak!" Daiki scoffed.

"Individually, maybe," Ayaki conceded. "But no nesting _koorigamo_ pair has ever been hunted by a single human."

"Higurashi_-san,"_ Sesshoumaru called flatly.

"Sesshoumaru-_dono_," Kagome replied quietly.

"The treaty sets the boundary of _koorigamo_ nesting grounds based on physical distance from town," he stated for the crowd of chittering birds.

"Yes," Kagome agreed though he hadn't truly asked a question.

"The town has not moved."

"No," Kagome confirmed evenly.

"Then there should be no reason to adjust the boundary line," Sesshoumaru concluded pointedly.

"There's not enough room for us here!"Daiki protested.

"Is there truly not enough room? Or are you lazy cowards unwilling to try for position and fail?" Sesshoumaru countered. "To settle on the town side of this marsh is a death sentence for more than just the fool who attempts it. Higurashi_-san,"_ he invited her to expound.

Kagome took a deep breath, stalling to allow her to draw up the specific facts of the last incidents before the treaty was put in place. "Humans do not come close to the marsh very much in winter, this is true, but after the first thaw the marsh road sees a lot of traffic. Supplies and migrant workers are brought in to make ready for the production season near the shore. It is now, as it was then, the first change in entertainment to be had for months. Mothers bring the children out to watch the parade of vehicles coming into town on that road. Decades ago," Kagome swallowed to wet her dry mouth as another violent shiver raced through her chilled limbs. She could no longer feel the sting of cold in her feet and she was beginning to worry about her benumbed toes. "Decades ago, the traffic was mostly carts drawn either by hand or animals. One such animal was a nervous creature, displeased to be driven so close to the marsh, hemmed in by carts behind and ahead and plagued with excited children on all sides. Something caused the animal to let out a cry of nerves or fear or maybe pain and a nearby nesting _koorigamo_ attacked. There was no one near the marsh, they were all by the road, but the _youkai _attacked anyway.

"That one attack brought the young season's death toll up to twenty one. That's twenty one in a single fortnight. Sixteen of those deaths were young children. One was the headman's only son. That attack caused the headman's wife to go into pre-term labor which resulted in the stillbirth of his daughter." Kagome gazed pointedly out into the crowd of birds that were half ignoring her words. "It was decided that twenty one deaths in fourteen days was far too many and the townspeople organized a troop of exterminators that invaded the marsh."

"That's just a mother's tale told to scare chicks into compliant behavior," the guide countered flatly. "It never happened."

"Ask Chizue if it ever happened," Kagome glared hard at him. "That one spring reduced the numbers of your people by more than two thirds. There were only three _koorigamo_ to survive the town side of the marsh. She was one of them."

"We didn't even realize how badly our numbers had diminished until summer hit," Ayaki added. "We'd been reduced to less than fifty strong."

"Well, it could never happen now," Daiki insisted.

"You think not?" Sesshoumaru challenged the obnoxious youth's reasoning.

"Humans have better weapons now than several decades ago. They won't be limited to fishing tools and hand knives," Kagome pointed out. "Not to mention the unabashed specism found in town. You take out even one of their babies because you set up house too close to the marsh road and a child exploring the reeds spooked you, I doubt they'll stop even at the current boundary line."

"We still have a problem with nesting space," the other male insisted to echoing agreement.

"Enough Arata," Ayaki scolded the guide. "The solution you sought is not one any of us can approve. Either find another solution, or make do."

"Make do?" Arata scoffed. "That's easy for you to say, you no longer seek the nesting grounds. The drive to protect the egg has deserted you -"

"Regardless," Chizue cut in, "The fact remains that there will be no adjustment to the boundaries established by the treaty. I'll not witness another spring like that one. The three of us that made it through weren't even related. My partner and my eggs were destroyed. I only survived because I was near death and rescued by the _Jinja no Sewanin_ of that time. I took on a chick that had been orphaned and left alive only because it was buried by the broken shells of its siblings. The third was a male that lost an eye, a leg, his partner and their chicks." It was the first time Kagome had ever seen the elder female moved to anger. "Sesshoumaru's judgment was accurate, any male who seeks to avoid tense competition for nesting space on the approved grounds is both lazy and a coward and not worth breeding with in any case. Laziness does not make for much help in feeding a nesting female or hungry chicks. Cowardice does not speak of worthy skill in defending a nest from predators, trespassers, and other threats. If a male will run from a fight over where to put a nest, what's to prevent him from fleeing a fight with much higher stakes."

Kagome wanted to agree, but she wasn't here to pass judgment or tell the birds how to live their lives. Her job was just to enforce the treaties in place for the protection of both communities. Besides, there were enough fools in the crowd to dismiss their elders words just **because** Kagome agreed with them.

"This Sesshoumaru offers a better solution to your population problem," the _inu_ cut in. "Any male caught attempting to nest out of bounds will be rendered immediately and permanently sterile." The verdict was handed down with some mildly obvious satisfaction. The younger _koorigamo_ had successfully irked Sesshoumaru enough that the harshest punishment would be dealt out. "As your reason for trespassing is directly related to a need to breed, repeat offenders will no longer be a problem. A diminishing return of virile males will reduce the competition for available, lawful nesting sites, thus solving the problem."

Silence settled over the crowd, and Kagome held her breath not to disturb it. It wasn't the route she would have chosen, but it wasn't exactly something she could have chosen anyway. Not even Ryoichi could have handed down that motion.

"That would leave a disproportionate number of females without partners," Chizue pointed out calmly. "It is a punishment that harms more than the criminal."

"Had you bothered to implement responsible population controls, such would not be the case. There are always other populations to draw partners from," Sesshoumaru dismissed the concern blandly. "Perhaps future violators should pray Higurashi finds them, as her methods of sterilization may not be as bloody as Ryoichi's or this Sesshoumaru." He lifted his clawed hand, allowing a few drops of his inherently caustic poison to drip from the points and burn through the snow. "Before anyone else makes an attempt to argue against this decision, remember, you brought this on yourselves. Such may not have been the case, if it had not required a _daijin_ to step into a situation a _chiji_ could have handled," golden eyes speared Arata before sweeping over his compatriots. "For that matter, the community elders and the _Jinja_ _no Sewanin_ should have been enough. This problem was not so dire, nor so difficult to sort through. Your people were just noisy and belligerent, arrogant and spoiled."

"What kind of _daijin_ are you?" Daiki burst out in disbelief. "We're _youkai_, you should take our side!"

"He governs more than just our community of _koorigamo_, fool," Ayaki glared at the petulant male insisting on waving his self-centered ignorance in the face of the great Masashi's eldest son. "His protection extends to the _youkai_ living in town also."

"What _youkai_ would be so weak as to take shelter with weakling humans? Have they no pride?" Daiki scoffed.

"There are many breeds of _youkai_ that thrive more in a human filled environment than a less populous one," Kagome informed him. "Just as there are breeds that do better avoiding human interaction. The town has existed for several hundred years and been surrounded and filled with _youkai_ since its founding."

"Liar!" Daiki snarled as he sent his _youki_ out to strike her in short-tempered reaction to having his character maligned by the _daijin_, his views discounted by his elders, and his concerns put down as resulting from his own flaws and immaturity. He wouldn't attack Sesshoumaru who was without doubt much stronger than a fledgling male that still hadn't managed to master a human face.

The wave of freezing energy blew around Kagome's body, buffeting against the energy she'd lined her skin with and passing beyond her without diminishing in strength or speed. The tree behind her hosted a frost lined silhouette of her body, testifying to the effects it should have had on her flesh. Instead she sighed, as a shiver racked her body from the ambient temperature rather than being frozen solid and the resultant wind created by Sesshoumaru's move.

"You attack the shrine representative for educating you about the world," Sesshoumaru hummed disapprovingly as he held the fool up by the neck.

"I'm fine," Kagome announced.

"That's not possible!" Daiki gasped out around his closing throat.

"Higurashi is not so weak as you believe," Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed at the wide frightened, confused eyes of his captured prey. "Are you not aware of the existence of _reiki_ users?"

"Those are myths!" Arata declared.

"Then how did Higurashi-_san_ avoid the attack thrown at her?" Chizue demanded. "She didn't move and Daiki's energy was certainly effective given the damage taken by the tree behind her. If the _Jinja no Sewanin_ had not _reiki_ to protect her, how is she still standing?"

"Hn," Sesshoumaru observed the gaping birds around him, still holding Daiki above the ground. "Perhaps a practical demonstration is in order."

Kagome glanced at him a little annoyed. She wasn't in the habit of doing parlor tricks to prove her abilities. It was a tool she kept mostly to herself, used in subtle ways most _youkai_ would never notice. Clenching her teeth as her body shook with cold again, she held out her free hand and concentrated on illuminating just the layer of _reiki_ that surrounded her hand. She didn't want anyone to know the full strength of her energy or that she had coated her entire body in it. A practical demonstration didn't require that she scare the feathers off the whole crowd, just that she ruffled some enough to know it was there.

Once her hand glowed brightly, she turned her back to the flock to tend the tree damaged by Daiki's tantrum. Trees and other plants neutralized energies, cleaning them of their respective charges, picked up from _youkai _or humans. They could be damaged by abrupt contact with a great deal of one type of energy or the other, just like they could drown in a flood or die from too much sun. Kagome carefully manipulated her energy to find the damaged spots and heal them, soothing the sting of frozen _youki_ and sending the glow of her energy up the trunk. She had to be careful. Too much energy of her type would send the tree into an early growth period that would cause damage when it almost immediately chilled again.

There was a hiss of in-drawn breath all over the clearing. There was no denying Kagome had done something outside the realm of ordinary humans. With just a touch, the old tree had lit up like a glow stick. Any normal human would have been required to paint glow-in-the-dark chemicals over the bark or thread electric lights around it to produce the same effect.

After she was certain all ill effects had been corrected, Kagome began to withdraw her attention from the tree. The visual affect made it look like Kagome removed her energy from the tree, drawing it back into herself. The reality was simply that she let go of it, letting the energy disperse as it would. The tree would use whatever lingered for its better health. It was a procedure she performed regularly with the trees around the shrine, the better to avoid accidental release that would cause undue harm to those around her.

It was a widely accepted belief that _reiki_ couldn't harm plants, animals or humans. It wasn't true of course. If it was strong enough, the introduction abrupt enough, _reiki_ could do as much harm as _youki_. Perhaps not in the same way or to the same degree, but sudden change of any type will cause harm to a living system.

If it was administered correctly, it could also heal even _youkai_. _Youki_ had never been demonstrated to do the same, though Kagome imagined it had more to do with training and education than anything else. Or maybe it was an aptitude thing. Certain breeds of _youkai_ were more apt to display certain types of energy manipulation. These particular birds fought with _youki_ generated ice and freezing temperatures. Many _youkai_ native to Hokkaido did. _Kitsune_ and _tanuki_ were better with illusion, shape shifting, and other things. Sesshoumaru's specific line of _inu_ used a caustic toxin that could be willed into specific attacks.

Sesshoumaru dropped Daiki on the frozen earth. The bird landed with a loud, dull impact sound that was likely painful. Kagome observed from the corner of her eye, over her shoulder. The bird laid there wheezing air through his painful throat as the burn of the _daijin_'s toxin ate lightly at the skin formerly pricked by claws. From this distance it didn't look as if the upstart had suffered anything permanent. Unless he was far weaker than Kagome had cause to believe. She'd taken his measure with the stupid aggressive acts he'd pulled.

Daiki was lucky. Sesshoumaru could have done worse with very little effort.

Kagome dismissed his condition as she stepped back from the tree and turned to face the semi-awed crowd gathered around them. Another sharp shudder racked her chilled limbs. Her feet remained uncommunicative blocks of ice, and she still had to trek back to the shrine before she could do anything about it. Now would be a good time to leave, even if Sesshoumaru wanted to stay to bully a few more brats, she hadn't the time or the patience to linger and watch. There was no need to perform any more parlor tricks and she wasn't going to give the _daijin_ opportunity to ask for more.

Her patience ended with the Fujimoto leash. Her physical fortitude was currently being tested to the limit. And beyond. It wouldn't surprise Kagome if she lost toes from this venture. Insult to the earlier injury.

But there was no need to stay. All decisions had already been made and set in stone. Mostly. Kagome had absolutely no intention of sterilizing anyone against their will. Another violent shiver racked her body and she nearly bit her tongue.

She missed the amber eyes that narrowed at her, considering.

"Hn," Sesshoumaru turned his attention to the gathered elders. "This negotiation is over." His glare returned to the belligerent male at his feet. "The boundaries stay where they are. Any found attempting to nest where they do not belong will be permanently relieved of their reason for nesting anywhere."

Kagome discreetly peered around her trying to figure out which direction would offer the shortest path back to the shrine. She didn't normally come this far out into the wilderness. She knew the way back to town, but if she could find a shorter route she'd take it.

She wasn't expecting Sesshoumaru to say a few final words to the gathered flock before sweeping her up off her feet and away from the scene. It wasn't like riding on the cloud formed by his _youki_, going up before moving over. The _inu_ moved in a straight, dashing line holding her tightly to his side with her feet trailing behind them. Kagome felt somewhat like a rag doll. The initial, unexpected launch had stolen her breath. When she finally regained it, Sesshoumaru was gently setting her feet down outside the keepers quarters of the shrine.

Upon facing the doors to her home, Kagome realized she'd lost a sandal. It wasn't from any discomfort or sensation, but more because she found herself to be lopsided when reaching to slide open the doors. Her body ached from the violent trembling the temperature caused. Tomorrow would not be fun, standing out in the cold again, achy, wearing a sling and emotionally exhausted.

But it was her duty and she would do it. The numbness in her lower extremities caused Kagome to stumble as she climbed inside and negligently kicked off her remaining sandal. She didn't bother to line it up pointed outward again or to tuck it up into the designated space for it. The set was ruined with the loss of its mate and the only person likely to suffer from her untidiness was herself. She didn't worry about Sesshoumaru even though he followed her inside.

She was more worried about making it to the _kotatsu._ Her soggy socks left muddy residue on the _tatami_ mats that Kagome would have to clean up later, but it was more important to get warm and assess the damage. The absence of feeling in the soles of her feet lead to a misplaced step that pitched her forward. Her face nearly planted on the edge of the table if not for her guest's quick thinking.

"Higurashi?" came the rumbling question.

"My feet are numb," she replied blandly, settling to the floor at the _kotatsu_ and clicking the heat on its lowest setting. "I just need to get warm."

"If it was dangerous to be out there, you should have said something," Sesshoumaru admonished her.

Kagome hunkered low against the table, lifting the blanket edge as high as she could while still trapping heat under it.

"If I'd been allowed to change attire before leaving the shrine, it wouldn't have been," Kagome sniffed, irked that he felt the right to scold her about something that wasn't really his business and was partially his fault. "I don't normally wear my shrine robes into town this time of year. Water proof boots are warmer and offer better traction, and there are clothes that offer the same benefits in comparison to traditional ceremonial robes, even when the robes haven't been aerated by volatile teenagers."

"The _Kitsune_ provided garments," Sesshoumaru replied.

"The clothing loaned to me by the Fujimoto leash would have been suitable for the short trip from town to the shrine," Kagome acknowledged. She reached up and unclipped the belt of her sling, freeing her arm to stick both hands under the blanket and into the heat. "Any farther distance with greater exposure to wind, such as can be found in flight, has proved this borrowed wardrobe insufficient. If I'd known I'd be flying after dark, I'd have dressed in something more waterproof and wind resistant," like the heavy coat she wore this time of year. Every time Kagome left the shrine grounds, she wore a few more layers than necessary. The townsfolk like to jeer at her about lacking tolerance for their colder clime, but Kagome planned for the unexpected. One never knew when a call to police the marsh came through. Or when some uneasy wild _youkai_ would stumble too close to the edge of town and need to be warned off or redirected. Not to mention the occasional call to serve some remote home along the shore road out of town that would draw her from town and shrine.

Most the people in town never left the settled area until the snows began to thaw in the spring. It was a very different thing to be out of doors in town and to be out in the surrounding wilderness or on the water. The local _youkai_ gave Kagome a hard time about the layers she wore too, but theirs opinions was cast more against her entire species than just her specifically.

When the pins and needles of returning warmth began to become uncomfortable, Kagome removed her damp socks under the table. She flexed and relaxed the muscles in her feet to encourage renewed blood flow and hasten the end of the prickly sensation. Her hands weren't nearly as troubling as her feet despite being fully bared to the weather.

Eventually she curled her legs closer and began to massage her feet under the table. Kagome needed to inspect them for any possible damage, but she was reluctant to expose them to the chilly ambient temperature of the greater room so quickly. She would need to change clothes, layout her _futon_, and go to bed sometime soon, but soon wasn't right now.

"That farce of a negotiation did not need to happen this evening," Sesshoumaru growled in response, amber eyes watching her hunch over the flat surface.

"If not now, then tomorrow," Kagome muttered. "They obviously heard you were in the area and took the opportunity it presented."

"There are channels," the looming _inu_ scoffed.

"And the _koorigamo_ are not the first who have sought to take a short cut to their desired outcome," Kagome reminded him absently. "Hopefully, tonight's fiasco will have cut off any major incidences for this mating season."

"Just a season?" he sounded appalled.

"_Koorigamo_ growth puts next year's crop of new breeders in with the babies during this time. There is no prior exposure to politics before adulthood and a first mating season." Was the explanation. It may take more than a year to mature from hatching to maturity, which usually kept parents from breeding during the seasons necessary to care for their young, but at least two seasons before a new bird was old enough to breed their parents were set free of their duties and driven to breed again. It left two years for the soon to be adults to help care for younger chicks and learn to fend for themselves more fully. Not every long-tailed duck survived those interim two years, free of their parents' care and protection to adulthood and breeding chicks of their own. In fact, _koorigamo_ flocks didn't recognize a new member fully until entering their first breeding season as a participant.

Kagome stiffened abruptly as she felt the _S__eishin-tekina shouheki_ communicate the approach of multiple _youkai_. Without saying a word she scrambled around the table so that her back wasn't facing the door. Barely making it in time, Kagome drew up the blanket as her door slid open to admit three female _koorigamo_ individuals who couldn't be bothered to knock.

"You have no purpose here," Sesshoumaru informed the impertinent trio.

"We return the J_inja no Sewanin_'s belonging," the tallest of the three declared and Kagome's lost and dirty sandal was dropped unceremoniously on her formerly clean table.

"This required you to barge into her home without courtesy or invitation," Sesshoumaru declared in such a tone that the more timid pair in the small group ducked.

"Our presence was announced by the shrine protections," the bold one defended their actions. She was taller than the other two, likely older as her human facade had little skin discoloration to give her away. The other two had unusual striping on their faces and in their hair. Nothing incredibly obvious, as females were slightly more subtle in their plumage naturally, but enough that Kagome could tell.

"Maybe so," Kagome cut in, "but entering someone's home without knocking and being invited in is exceedingly rude. The doors are there for privacy. A similar offense would be if I were to join you in warming your eggs in your nest while expecting you to entertain me without having leave to eject me from your territory."

"Really?" one of the previously silent birds questioned innocently. "Did you know that Ikuyo_-chan?"_

The bold one scowled at the question.

"This is my nest," Kagome announced firmly. Sometimes it was prudent to alter the vocabulary to get a point across. "It may be empty much of the time, but no one should enter it without my permission, especially if I am present. Humans will defend their homes in the same way your people would defend a nest. Others have died for doing what you have."

Ikuyo blinked before speaking up, "Then we apologize, we weren't intending to offend you." Her tone was grudging, the words most likely spoken only as a way to insure Kagome would still do whatever it was she wanted.

"No, you came seeking about something that was brought up tonight," Kagome sighed as Sesshoumaru shifted to lean against the wall behind her. She didn't like having a _youkai_ she wasn't terribly familiar with at her back, but there wasn't a polite way to tell him to shift three steps to the side of her instead either. "The judgment handed down by the _daijin_ was uninfluenced by the shrine network. He has handed down his edicts and we must live by them to the best of our ability."

"Oh, we're not here to protest Sesshoumaru-_sama_'s decision," the quieter speaker declared.

"We're more interested in the idea that a _reiki_ user can sterilize a _youkai_ without physically maiming them," added Ikuyo. "We'd like to volunteer."

"There is no way for _reiki_ sterilization to be healed from or reversed," Kagome informed them. "This is not something to be used for birth control."

"That's just it, human," Ikuyo huffed, the words were indication of just what the bird thought of Kagome and her shrine. If Ikuyo actually respected either, Kagome would not be merely 'human'. She would be something associated with the shrine, not named, as she doubted the birds knew Kagome's individual or family name, but definitely something associated with the shrine or even just '_reiki_ user'. "There is no birth control. And if Daiki and Arata are the choices available, I'd rather not breed at all."

"You will live for a long time," Kagome shook her head. "Sterilization is permanent."

"You're not listening," Ikuyo sniffed, clearly the only words worth hearing must come from her own mouth. Kagome's responses weren't more than hot air and raised concerns the bird was simply blowing off. "We don't care to breed with inferior partners. Our numbers are over abundant, but instinct doesn't pause when worthy males are non existent or overpopulation is an issue."

"And we don't even **like** males," the softer spoken female protested as she clutched hands with the still silent female beside her. These two offered a truly valid reason to desire sterilization. Preferring female partners would make breeding with males physically repugnant even while failing to prevent it from occurring. "Males being prodded to act by instinct don't respect that."

"I understand your problem, and if it were a reversible or even a temporary procedure I would have no issue assisting you," Kagome shrugged her shoulders and withheld a wince when the move tugged at her stitches. She was sympathetic to the quieter two. "But as it **is** permanent I feel this is something you should discuss with your elders first. I'll not have your entire community at odds with the shrine because I used my inherent abilities to render you three permanently infertile. Not after Sesshoumaru-_dono_ just decreed it a punishment for attempting to nest out of bounds."

"Your whole community appears to lack an understanding of protocol," Sesshoumaru observed.

Kagome ignored him as she tried to advise the trio still standing across her table. They'd never shut the door behind them and her already chilled room was now frigid. "Go back to your elders, discuss it with them, and have **them** approach me on your behalf. Any other approach risks an already fragile peace in this area."

"I," Ikuyo swallowed sullenly, "I understand what you are saying. What do we do if the elders refuse to consider our request?" The female obviously had trouble conceding that much to Kagome's judgment. To her, Kagome should just work her _reiki_ on command and shut up about the consequences or the reasons why.

"There are no rules that require you to live in this community," Sesshoumaru answered shortly.

"I am not the only _reiki_ user in Japan," Kagome calmly offered a new action. "You may seek out the shrine school in Tokyo as a free _youkai_." Free _youkai_ did not answer to any power beyond that of the over-arching government founded by Masashi. Declaring themselves free _youkai _would leave them without a species specific community to draw support from, but it would achieve what they wanted.

"That is not a solution," Ikuyo glared at Kagome.

Many _youkai_ believed being separated from their species specific communities was cruel and torturous. The non humans around the world almost universally lived longer than humans. It was a long time to be separated from your own kind, but there were still plenty of individuals that were driven to sever ties. Kagome rather expected the quiet pair lingering behind Ikuyo would be fine without the flock so long as they had each other. And it wasn't as if there weren't plenty of free _youkai_ to take up with. They just wouldn't be _koorigamo_.

Ikuyo didn't feel the same.

"There are no actions that do not change something for the better or worse. There are no choices without consequences," Kagome pointed out. "If your elders allowed you to do this, you would still be a part of the community, but your over all standing would be greatly diminished. You would not be a courting prospect and would be reduced to the pre-adult position of assisting with chicks and taking care of yourself without much voice in community decisions. If your elders don't allow it, the next choice is whether you will accept it and breed as instinct and mating season urges or you pursue sterilization outside of the community after which you will not have a flock at all." The pair of females that clung to each other looked slightly downcast but accepting. Ikuyo looked ready to erupt.

"You are no help at all!"

"Oh, my heart is broken," Kagome scoffed, her limit long surpassed. "I've failed to help a group of young, rude cowards that resorted to emotional manipulation after they didn't get what they wanted."

"Now who is being rude?" Ikuyo sniffed.

"You," Sesshoumaru interrupted abruptly. "Now leave."

"Yes, Sesshoumaru-_sama_," the gently disheartened voice conceded to the dismissal. "We apologize for the intrusion." The quiet duo bowed respectfully to their _daijin_ and Kagome before easily slipping back outside through the open door. Ikuyo stubbornly remained behind.

"I don't know why you linger," Kagome sighed, more than done with the loud-mouth. "My decision will not change."

"You are such a hypocrite!" Ikuyo accused her host hotly. The feather head must be used to always getting what she wanted.

"Refusing to use my _reiki_ on a _youkai_ whose community might take it as an act of aggression, instigating violence between two communities, makes me a hypocrite? In what way?" Kagome tilted her head to the side. She was tired, physically and emotionally. She'd been attacked more than once today, verbally and physically. Kagome was only human and she'd met her bullshit limit hours ago. "My job is to maintain peace between species. It is not to cater to the tantrums of selfish, self-important individuals of any species who do not want to submit to the reality around them."

"This Sesshoumaru agrees with Higurashi-_san_'s decision," the tall male threw his weight in on her side. "Goading her into an unfortunate reaction will not give you the end you desire." Ikuyo sulked at him.

"I do not throw my _reiki_ around in anger. If I did, you would be disfigured and maimed, not sterilized," Kagome informed the petulant female. "Sterilization requires intense concentration of finely controlled energy in a pinpointed location. An uncontrolled burst of _reiki_ from a source of any strength would result in serious burns that will not heal if not out right death." Kagome rolled her eyes at the startled look on the bird's face. Her self-control had been tested and lost somewhere in the last confrontation and likely wouldn't be renewed until she'd had some downtime. She hoped it would happen at least a few hours before she had to get up tomorrow. There was one more day of _Hatsumode_ left. One more long day to get through while already injured and surrounded by a populace skeptical of her place and species.

Kagome was so damn tired. She just didn't have the energy to deal with more sophomoric drama.

The whole world would have to forgive her if she just didn't have the stamina to continue putting up with all this crap at the end of the day in her own home. Besides, if they could disrespect her, she could be a little rude. Nothing she'd said had been found objectionable by Sesshoumaru so Kagome figured she hadn't crossed a line yet.

"Run back to your current elders and pursue the proper channels," Sesshoumaru ordered firmly. "Or remain and suffer the consequences at the hands of this Sesshoumaru."

"I haven't done anything wrong!" Ikuyo protested. "And if she's too much of a weak coward to use her _reiki_ when a perfectly reasonable request for it happens, or when someone angers her, then there is no danger!"

"This Sesshoumaru's hand is not staid by the same rules as Higurashi's," Sesshoumaru returned coldly._** "**_Your request was very reasonably refused and a path to achieve your desire was laid out for you. To linger is a petulant display of immaturity or a decidedly selfish desire to put your insignificant individual wants above the safety of every living thing in this area."Ikuyo huffed. "After being informed that action on Higurashi's part could end in retaliatory moves taken by your community, leading to an eruption of violence in an otherwise peaceful area, any continued effort to persuade the _Jinja no Sewanin_ to act could be considered treasonous by the laws of this one's esteemed father."

"Treason?!" the word exploded from a mouth growing beakier by the moment. Ikuyo had lost some of her concentration and control over her current form was slipping. "Don't be ridiculous! Just what about this situation could possibly be treasonous?"

"You are deaf, self-centered, and ignorant," Kagome scoffed. "Both I and your _daijin_ have informed you just why your actions could be considered treasonous. Any effort that would disrupt the peace of a region or area, breaks the highest laws of both _youkai_ and human societies. Urging someone to act against such laws is just as treasonous as taking the action personally. Sesshoumaru-_dono_ can witness that you were informed of the consequences of what you want. That you continue pursuing it in this manner only proves you care nothing for those around you or the laws that keep you alive and safe."

"Hn," Sesshoumaru agreed. "It might be more beneficial for your community if you were ejected from them for their safety."

"The suggestion has merit and will receive due consideration among the elders," Chizue called from the open door. "Harassing our esteemed _Jinja no Sewanin_ for such selfish reasons, in such an impolite fashion, gives our community much to think about when exploring the options of voluntary sterilization." The elder stared the younger female down. "We certainly do not wish such bad behavior to perpetuate itself lest we lose all kindness from the shrines."

"Kindness?" Ikuyo scoffed. "We don't need their kindness! They should serve us, that is their purpose. Even if it weren't we are their superiors - "

"I do apologize, Higurashi_-sama_," Chizue cut the pompous feather head off. "We try to keep the unruly children from harassing those outside our community, but there are a great number too many of them to watch them all until they graduate from such foolishness to the ranks of elders."

"Time won't cure everything," Kagome muttered.

Chizue laughed brightly, "Unfortunately that is true. Some of our selfish children will never achieve wisdom and therefore will forever be barred from leadership by all right thinking communities."

"That is insulting! I am not deficient in intelligence!" Ikuyo protested. "I just don't want to breed, thereby helping to correct the population issues the current elders were too inept to -"

"There is more to that problem than just the logistics of increasing numbers," Kagome pointed out. "The nesting territories are sufficient for the numbers already present in the current community and even allow for a moderate amount of growth."

"The problem is the increased area each nesting male believes he needs to secure his space," Chizue added. "In the times of my hatching, nests were close enough that neighbors could rescue chicks in the absence of their parents' immediate presence. Some were even close enough to be in sight. It was only the more territorial and aggressive males that felt the need for so much space as to resort to the town side of the marsh. And there is more to being an elder than just intelligence. You have proven too selfish to be considered anything more than a child or a breeder. And you would prefer not to breed."

"I am not a child!"

"Higurashi-_sama_ if you would be so kind as to eject this troublemaker, I will undertake the task of returning her to our territory," Chizue ignored the outburst.

Kagome sighed and closed her eyes. When she opened them again Kagome tapped into her _reiki_ forcing it into a shape more solid than the ethereal net she'd built earlier. She attached two ends to the sides of her open doorway, stretching the energy back to encompass the huffing bird still standing inside her home. The setup would look rather like a giant sling shot, but the _reiki _wasn't visible and had no elasticity. The force it would use to propel Ikuyo from Kagome's home would be consciously controlled with constant speed. The hardest part of this maneuver was keeping the energies from injuring the feathered pest. Someone with less control wouldn't be able to do it, but Kagome managed it while shoving a protesting, selfish brat out the door into Chizue's waiting arms.

The pair disappeared from sight leaving an empty, open door behind them.

Sesshoumaru flashed to slide the door shut and Kagome stood from the _kotatsu_ reluctantly. Her feet still tingled and her muscles remained sore, but she needed to change into her sleep clothes and lay out her _futon_ if she ever wanted to sleep tonight.

Kagome nearly jumped out of her skin when the phone rang. She should have known that Inuyasha would call now, when she least wanted him to.

"This Sesshoumaru will take care of that," her guest growled with a glare at her phone. "Go about your usual evening routine."

Before Kagome could protest, even though she didn't really want to listen to Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru had picked up the phone announcing that her caller had reached the Higurashi Shrine. There was always the possibility that it wasn't Inuyasha calling. It was a slim chance for this hour.

Which was neither here nor there when Sesshoumaru started lecturing the person on the other end of the call for harassment, proving it was the hanyou she'd expected. She didn't need to pay attendance to the show to know what was likely to happen.

Kagome dragged her _futon_ out of the cupboard to lay out before grabbing her pajamas and fresh undergarments and socks. The _kitsune _supplied garments were comfortable in an over-sized way, but they were now damp in places and dirty in others. Besides, changing clothes gave her an excuse to leave Sesshoumaru alone with the phone.

Kagome would likely suffer the consequences of Sesshoumaru's harangue next time Inuyasha called, but she would try to forget that right now. Instead she would focus on brushing her teeth and figuring out how to braid her hair. She would see about washing her borrowed clothing and setting her rice maker to start up in the morning for breakfast.

By then her phone was subjected to a growling series of threats and warnings Kagome was certain received only angry yelling and dismissive cursing. She had to be thankful that Sesshoumaru wasn't prone to more dramatic forms of speech. Kagome didn't think her nerves could handle it right now.

When Sesshoumaru finally slammed down the phone with a snarl that proved siblings could bring out the worst in anybody, Kagome was already trying to find a comfortable position to sleep in. It would take some shifting, she normally slept on her back but her injured side making the ability to find a position that wouldn't pain her stitches and one she could sleep in rather difficult. Eventually she managed. Exhaustion both emotional and physical allowed her to sleep even with a wide awake _inu youkai_ in the room.


	9. Chapter 9

See notes in First Chapter.

**IX**

Sesshoumaru's gaze narrowed at the summit of the Sunset Shrine steps. The space immediately in front of the last step was empty where he'd been greeted on his first visit. Familiarity was the enemy of formality, and the attendants of this shrine had become far too accustomed to Sesshoumaru's presence if this was his welcome.

He had visited this single _shinto_ establishment far too often in recent months. He wasn't used to suffering the relaxing of formality. He supposed Higurashi Genkei's offer on first meeting to call him by name should have given Sesshoumaru a clue as to the future. Humans adapted so quickly. The _inu_ silently huffed before turning his attention to the rain-slicked grounds of the shrine.

It was possible that the lack of greeting had everything to do with the recent weather. Humans were susceptible to the elements, especially those who had passed the midpoint of their allotted time. The old man moved more slowly in these damp months, the proof of old injuries and diminishing youth.

Sesshoumaru decided not to take offense to Genkei's lacking efforts at greeting him in person. The keeper was home, his scent threaded the grounds with a freshness only presence could create. But he was also aged by modern human life expectancy. Diminished speed was expected, and economy was increasingly needed to make it through a day. Genkei was respectful in all other aspects and kept up the pretenses of formally greeting Sesshoumaru's arrival longer than many would have. He would still make the effort on most occasions, so when the old man didn't greet Sesshoumaru personally there was most likely a reason.

Sesshoumaru could also detect the lady of the house as well. It was not hard to dismiss offense on her behalf. Akina had no way of personally detecting the _Seishin-tekina__ shouheki_. She had no blood ties to any shrine family and was therefore lacking that extra sense that was inherent of their number. It was the boy, her son, whose laziness Sesshoumaru found the hardest to accept. Because it could only be laziness.

Souta was far too like Sesshoumaru's own younger brother at that age in many aspects. Genkei had assured Sesshoumaru that it was a phase the human boy would grow out of with maturity. Sesshoumaru didn't accept that as guaranteed given that Inuyasha hadn't grown out of anything yet. Time had done little more than ingrain the bad behaviors more strongly.

Sesshoumaru consciously loosened his muscles and began to stride towards the keeper's house, there wasn't much use for the boy yet. Souta wasn't a fully vested member of the staff. He still attended classes at the shrine school, learning proper diplomacy, legal restrictions and expected duties. Not every shrine member picked such things up through effective observation. Souta was fairly unobservant, hadn't participated much in shrine duties growing up and so had to focus harder on his studies to achieve his certification.

Sesshoumaru would admit that it was heartening to see the boy so earnest about his studies. It was one glaring difference from his half-sibling he was growing to appreciate exceedingly.

The boxy house stood towards the back of the shrine grounds, situated in such away as to enhance privacy without secluding it completely from the public. He had become well acquainted with a number of the "public" rooms of the private dwelling.

Upon his approach to the door it slid open from the inside and Souta greeted him casually. "C'mon in," the teenager bid him, "Grandpa has a guest in the living room and mom's in the kitchen." The information was drop into Sesshoumaru's ears without ceremony. Clearly, Souta expected him to find his way without escort. "Mom! I'm heading out to meet up with Honda. We're going to join a study group and we'll probably eat out after!" was shouted back into the house, partially deafening the _inu_ coming in as the student departed.

"Do you have your phone on?" Akina called back from the kitchen. "I may need you to stop at the store on your way home."

"Call Honda's, I think something fried in mine," Souta replied and disappeared immediately thereafter, tapping the toe of his shoe absently as he rushed out the door.

"Souta!" Akina called again, hurrying from the kitchen door only to be greeted with the absence of her son and Sesshoumaru's arrival. "I hope he has his wallet," she fretted to herself before bowing to the _daijin_. "Welcome, Sesshoumaru-_sama_. My father-in-law has company, but he wouldn't mind your addition to their discussion."

Akina's exceedingly polite manners did little to conceal her dislike of Sesshoumaru's repeat intrusions. She still tried to defend Inuyasha's behavior and continuing actions, criticizing Kagome's handling of the relationship from start to finish, and arguing every visit against Sesshoumaru's continued pursuit of justice about all of it. She didn't like that Sesshoumaru wasn't swayed by her arguments, generally ignored her excuses, and continued to forge ahead with Genkei's blessing. He doubted very much that her opinion was likely to change any time soon.

Inuyasha's bad habits were the reason for Sesshoumaru presence today, like always. A renewal of her least favorite topic, she'd rather have done with, acquitting Inuyasha of any wrong-doing and tying Kagome in a pretty bow as bride for the _hanyou_. It would be quite surprising if she viewed his new line of inquiry favorably.

As Kagome's official complaint had lead him nowhere but a reconstructed file for formality's sake, he needed to find new victims to track down and investigate. Discovering these unfortunate lovers of Sesshoumaru's half-brother would be quite the undertaking.

The problem was, Sesshoumaru didn't have the time or the man power to assign to the task. Certainly not if he wanted to pursue the investigation without his half brother becoming aware of it. Or to keep it from his father's attention.

This would be a tight rope act. Following the narrow thread of truth through the lies fobbed by the media on the masses while remaining discrete. There was no need to stir up a news frenzy before the facts were discovered and laid bare. Sesshoumaru wanted the truth before the "journalists" and "reporters" could obfuscate it with conjecture and spin. And he needed someone trustworthy to employ.

Sesshoumaru didn't want the research results communicated to Inuyasha as blackmail at any point before justice was claimed. Of course then blackmail would be impossible.

"Sesshoumaru-_dono_," Genkei greeted as soon as the _youkai_ came in view. "I believe you are familiar with my guest, Tanaka Miroku-_kun_." Sesshoumaru nodded in acknowledgment of the cop that had pointed him to the shrine. "Are you here to reference the file once again?" the old man asked curiously.

Sesshoumaru understood his mild wonder at the _inu_'s unexpected return. The file had already been reconstructed entirely in official hands. There was nothing here that wasn't readily available in the new copy now present in Sesshoumaru's possession. "Higurashi still refuses to speak of the incident, as such this Sesshoumaru is seeking new avenues of investigation," came the rumbled reply.

"Was there a line of questioning we missed?" Miroku looked disturbed at the thought and Sesshoumaru recalled that this particular detective had been the one to pursue the original file's construction.

"It is more likely, Sesshoumaru-_dono_ has realized the chances of more victims," Genkei offered to soothe the stiff human male.

"Inuyasha is not known for patience in anything," Sesshoumaru nodded, "Least of all as it comes to his personal pleasures." It was the polite way of saying his younger brother was spoiled, self-centered and lacked any kind of discipline. Maybe a few decades ago, it could have been a phase, something to be outgrown with time and experience. Now, those experiences had never manifested their lessons concerning delayed gratification, the reality that the whole world does not belong to one hanyou, or the fact that all actions have consequences.

"Surely he is not impatient in all his pleasures," Miroku drawled slowly, "Else why would there be so many women willing to stick around for the abuse?" It took Sesshoumaru a moment to figure out what precisely the younger male was trying to infer before Genkei smacked the back of his head.

"That's an inappropriate train of thought and hardly to the purpose of this conversation," the old man scolded the pervert as Sesshoumaru struggled to remove the thought of Inuyasha's impatient nature translating to his carnal relations with women. Impatience in the bedroom would be well-matched to the brat's personality but not terribly fulfilling for most females' needs. And he didn't really want to think about Inuyasha's intimate behaviors.

Sesshoumaru was very careful to ignore as much of Inuyasha's social life as possible. Kikyou was a nightmare to deal with on most occasions, though how much of that was a result of Inuyasha's tendency towards rampant infidelity he couldn't be certain. What Sesshoumaru had seen of her, lead him to believe she got some kind of toxic pleasure out of trying to manipulate her hanyou occasional lover and the roller coaster of their mutual inability to have done and stick with ending it altogether. The pair seemed to draw out the loudest most volatile behaviors in each other, but he wasn't aware if that volatility translated into actual violence on one side or the other.

"It is unlikely that Inuyasha has remained faithful to his current companion if their relationship was plagued with infidelity from its inception," because Inuyasha had begun dating Kikyou after his first dates with Kagome. The boy certainly hadn't broken things off with Kagome until Kikyou insisted upon it. "Higurashi Kagome has been outside of Inuyasha's purview for several years. He had no contact with her, given Inuyasha had no knowledge of how to contact her until her emergence in regards to a situation unrelated to him."

"Which makes it reasonable to assume there have been others in the intervening time," Genkei agreed. "Kagome escaped her tormentor for nearly a decade, coupled with Inuyasha's impatient nature and lack of commitment to the principles of the one woman who remains near constant in his life; there are probably several other women who could file claims against Inuyasha."

"And given that the only reason I knew about Kagome's claim is because I worked it," Miroku continued, "Any claim made was likely swept under the rug just as thoroughly as Kagome's was. **If** any claims were made that is." It was a sad reality that many such incidences of assault were not reported to the police or enforcement agencies in the present world. Kagome's complaint was significant because it had been made and then ignored. Examples like hers probably explained the statistics concerning unreported abuse.

"Indeed," Sesshoumaru agreed evenly. Whether complaints were filed or not, Sesshoumaru wanted to know how bad Inuyasha's behavior had been. If there were women eligible to file a complaint that hadn't, he wanted to encourage them to do so. If there were women eligible that physically couldn't, he wanted to know why.

Kagome had taken years to recover physically from the damage caused by the brat. It was just as likely that a woman without Higurashi's robustness would not have made it out of the hospital at all. _Reiki_ users weren't superhuman, they were just as easily hurt, but their recovery times were noticeably shortened and the prognoses were almost universally more positive barring a few specific maladies that struck only _reiki_ users.

"It is a disturbing thought," Miroku mused. "And there would be no way to know unless one was personally affiliated with the complainant and the officer who took the report." His left hand raised up to his chin, while his bead wrapped right cupped his elbow. "Without the name of a filer, there is no way to look up a specific incident report. They're not searchable by unsubstantiated accusations, not until there has been an arrest anyway."

"You stay out of it Tanaka Miroku," Akina huffed at their less affluent guest as she entered the room with tea things for their talks. Sesshoumaru could surmise that the Higurashi matron's relationship with the younger male was such that she knew Miroku before puberty. Human maturity was sometimes difficult for Sesshoumaru to track accurately. Her strong directive towards the younger male was much like a parental adult scolding a child. "You never should have gotten involved in the first place. You'd still be employed if you had."

Sesshoumaru blinked with surprise, "You are no longer employed by the department?"

"He was let go for divulging confidential information to an unaffiliated _youkai_ without his superior's permission," Akina answered before Miroku could get a word in edgewise.

"The unaffiliated _youkai_ is the northern _daijin_ currently standing in your living room," Miroku reasonably explained. "The superior in question was among those who had lost Kagome's original complaint and thereby derailed justice in an assault case because the accused was a son of the great Masashi."

"The complaint never should have been filed," Akina ground her teeth.

"The shoulds and should nots are immaterial," Sesshoumaru declared evenly, ignoring the woman's efforts to serve tea around the room.

"The complaint was filed," Miroku continued. "I took an oath when I swore into duty to uphold the law, investigate the truth and protect the community. That means I track down the facts of every case that comes through and serve the greater good at personal loss if necessary. Kagome's case was investigated thoroughly and should have been taken further as the evidence supporting her version of events was substantial. Inuyasha deserved to be punished for his actions whether Kagome stayed to pursue it or not. Instead, the department swept it under the rug."

"Because it was a frivolous, exaggeration of events," Akina insisted.

"When an official from the _youkai_ government came looking for the file, I pointed him in the direction of an unofficial copy," Miroku continued as if Kagome's mother hadn't spoken. "I didn't know why Sesshoumaru was looking for it, but I knew that if he was looking for it in the human police department files that it had also been lost at the _youkai_ enforcement agency."

"Which speaks of a bigger problem than one filed assault claim," Sesshoumaru supported the human male's lecture.

"Something that needs to be thoroughly investigated and put to right regardless of your views concerning Inuyasha's behavior," Genkei added. "Though Inuyasha's assault on Kagome should have been enough to black list him in this house anyway."

"If she had just given that relationship a real effort instead of wasting her time on that foolish dream of being a doctor," Akina protested. "Inuyasha would never have looked elsewhere for companionship if -"

"If Inuyasha hadn't ended the relationship?" Sesshoumaru interrupted. Whatever Higurashi Akina's views on the violent encounter that sent Kagome to the hospital at death's door, the fact was, Inuyasha **had** dumped Kagome in a rather public, humiliating confrontation for Kikyou's rather malicious benefit.

"Kagome had every right to do as she pleased after Inuyasha ended things,"Miroku agreed. "If he couldn't handle the place in her life she informed him was all she had available, then the relationship wouldn't have lasted anyway."

"Inuyasha still hasn't fully committed to that woman he was cheating on Kagome with anyway, he probably would never have been faithful to Kagome," Genkei hummed in consideration. These were not new points in the discussion. The argument ran in circles and Akina had an excuse for everything.

"He hasn't committed to that woman because Kagome is the one he's meant for," she insisted.

"Stop spouting that nonsense," Genkei growled. "This isn't one of your romantic dramas. If it was, the story would have found its positive conclusion years ago."

"Too true," Miroku agreed. "Fairy tales of this sort do not take nearly a decade to conclude. It would diminish the magical quality of such fairy tales if the heroines managed to remain single in their late twenties, nearly thirties. It might undo the hundreds of years of type casting in which only the evil women live to be matured by experience," Miroku added wryly. Most folklore either absented the mother in a tale or replaced her with a stepmother or other aged female with evil inclinations.

"I am not a child!" Akina glared at the pair of males patronizing her. "If Kagome hadn't run away from Tokyo needlessly, Inuyasha would have dumped that woman. Kagome would no longer be wasting her time with all those expensive, pointless classes and therefore would finally focus all of her attention on the relationship like she should have from the beginning."

"Kagome is not a doll or a pet," Genkei scoffed at the woman. "Inuyasha was never her owner, she didn't even really know him all that well."

"She knew him long enough to know..." she argued before Miroku cut in.

"To know that he was violent when frustrated, abusive under the influence of another woman, and unfaithful," he declared firmly. "I think even if Kagome had stayed in Tokyo she wouldn't want anything to do with him. Most women wouldn't."

"What would you know about most women?" Akina dismissed his words.

"Enough to know that many of them are right thinking human beings with no desire to be publicly humiliated with no provocation," Miroku shrugged. "Most humans would generally avoid the person that had put them in the hospital after publicly humiliating them as well. And before you bring up the ones that do stay with their abusers I would like to point out that those souls usually don't feel like they have any other options, an illusion planted and perpetuated by their abusers."

"Inuyasha didn't mean-," the female tried to defend the _hanyou_.

"Have you asked him?" Genkei cut her off. "Or are you merely imposing your interpretation of his actions to fit your own views of a short-lived relationship?"

"As I understand it," Miroku observed. "Kagome had only known Inuyasha a few weeks, maybe two months. How often did you really have meaningful conversations with him to draw up a full understanding of his motivations? While Inuyasha may not seem terribly complex, he's not so simple as to fully understand in one casual conversation held in front of his short-term girlfriend and her mother."

"Indeed," Sesshoumaru smirked his agreement with Miroku's point. Inuyasha would be on his best behavior, especially if he was still trying to get in the female's intimate graces; something Sesshoumaru knew Inuyasha had never achieved. "Despite his general misbehavior, that one has been perfectly educated on the proper social graces." The miscreant's mother had seen to that, after all, a veneer of politesse could hide unattractive ambitions better than constant rudeness. Their father had ingrained political etiquette even further as part of Inuyasha's training to fulfill the part of Southern _daijin_. It was one of the few sets of lessons the brat bothered to use regularly. Sesshoumaru supposed if Inuyasha acted as he truly was all the time, the _hanyou_ likely would have been killed in a brawl long before now.

"He is the son of the great Masashi-" Akina argued.

"Inuyasha is the son of my father," Sesshoumaru allowed, "But even this one's father is not perfect." The old _inu _had hooked up with the _hanyou_'s mother after all. Everyone agreed that was shear folly...well everyone who knew the woman personally agreed. Izayoi was a mistake Masashi had seemed incapable of correcting for far too many years.

Sesshoumaru had viewed his father's behavior around that woman and long ago concluded that Masashi didn't actually **like** her very much.

"Masashi is not infallible," Genkei observed. "It was not a smooth road to unification and peace, but what missteps were taken were learned from and corrected," the old man clarified before continuing. "But Inuyasha is not his father. He is not even his clone. He is his own person, and that person is abusive, unfaithful, and immature."

"It is that same way that Sesshoumaru is not his father, acting under his own drives, ruling in his own style," Miroku concurred. "They may share blood, a family resemblance, and some responsibility, but they are not all the same person and should not be judged solely on the actions and behavior of their counterparts. Every great figure in history was not necessarily born of a previously great individual and there are plenty of monsters that descended from truly respectable, honorable people."

"This Sesshoumaru would never engage in the needless games of my father or the rash abuses of the hanyou," the northern _daijin_ intoned pointedly. "In the same way that Higurashi Kagome does not hold the same views as her mother."

Akina scowled at Sesshoumaru before spinning angrily on her heel and stomping back to the kitchen. The woman was never more intractable than when someone attempted to show greater understanding of her daughter's motivations than she had. She never accepted their insight, denial shielded her from enlightenment that would contradict her views. At this late date, it was unlikely Akina would ever obtain genuine understanding of Kagome or even Souta, not that Sesshoumaru was necessarily an expert on either.

One didn't need more than a passing familiarity with either child to comprehend the disparity between the mother's perception and the reality. Often times, parents that failed to form a genuine connection with their children did little real harm beyond the occasional hurt when their ignorance was brought to light or they applied pressure for offspring to act in a manner opposite the progeny's inclination or choice.

Unfortunately, Akina's willful refusal to see Kagome's truth had left her daughter in an unsafe position. One that had required Kagome completely remove from all familiar surroundings. Akina's views forbade Inuyasha being barred from the grounds. Kagome's safety required being out of the _hanyou_'s physical reach if nothing more. The resulting impasse had resulted in an absentee type relationship between mother and daughter.

It wasn't just that Kagome went away and never returned. Akina refused to visit her daughter more than once after the removal. Kagome's genuine fear over an (incredibly likely) encounter with her attacker were dismissed by the mother as foolish given Akina wouldn't acknowledge that Inuyasha had actually attacked Kagome in the first place.

Genkei and Souta both had been to visit Kagome regularly since the removal. Akina hadn't been since the first year, insisting that Kagome should repay the visit instead. If it were only about manners and money, Sesshoumaru would agree. Such was not the case here.

The three males collected their thoughts and settled the topic in their own unique ways. Genkei sighed restively and sank back into his old padded chair. Of the three, he'd been dealing with Akina's detachment from reality the longest. It was likely also brought up more often with him as the old man sought to correct errors made with Akina's handling of Souta as the boy approached adulthood and independence.

Miroku scowled aimlessly into his tea before blowing air out to disturb the rising trail of steam emitted from the cup. Miroku's exposure to Akina's obstinacy was frustrating in the extreme for a police officer, even a former one. The law was the law and exceptions shouldn't be made for anyone that caused such severe injuries whether it was intentional or not.

Sesshoumaru settled into his accustomed chair and allowed his eyes to stare at the complex clock hung on the wall across from him while his ears tracked the movements of the others. The tips of his sensitive ears twitched with each slammed cupboard and dish moved by Akina's frustration in the kitchen. Idly he compared the mother's behavior with the daughter's and found the elder lacking.

"To return to the subject of Sesshoumaru-_dono_'s visit," Genkei finally broke the air. "I agree that it is likely Inuyasha has victimized other females. If he did it to Kagome, a woman he'd only known a few weeks, then it's likely there are more who were abused as well."

"It is likely there are several," Sesshoumaru concurred. "The problem is ferreting out truth from fiction in a backlog of gossip rags and spin."

Miroku's eyes narrowed in thought. "It doesn't help that Inuyasha is inconsistent when dealing with rumors and press items." Inuyasha had both confirmed and denied the same headlines on a regular basis making it even harder to divine factual occurrence from slow news day click bait. "I assume you'd want to go back to after Kagome was attacked." At Sesshoumaru's discreet nod the former officer forged ahead, "So just to start with, it would probably be best to eliminate the disreputable papers; ones that are anti-_youkai_ and _hanyou_."

"It might be best to start with the entertainment publications," Genkei suggested. "Pure news might consider a street level break up as inconsequential in the scheme of things."

Miroku agreed, "All academic periodicals are out as well."

"Hn," Sesshoumaru commented. Their brainstorming had hardly made a dent in the materials that would need to be waded through. "This Sesshoumaru's main problem is finding a reliable person or small group capable to sifting through the information, digging out the corroborating facts, and locating the victims within a decent time frame." This was not something the _inu_ wanted dragging out for several years. It wasn't a statute of limitations issue to Sesshoumaru's mind as he was certain his father would see that regardless of the limits of the law Inuyasha would learn to correct his behavior. The method of correction was bound to be punishment in itself for the wild brat. Inuyasha did not take kindly to even well-meaning direction.

"This solution is simple," Genkei huffed. "Miroku-_kun_ is in need of employment. His credentials are obvious in that file you recreated for Kagome's claim. His integrity has already been proven by the loss of his former occupation in the pursuit of his sworn duty for that job."

"It is Sesshoumaru-_dono_'s choice who he hires for the office," Miroku flushed in embarrassment. "I am not so desperate as to - "

"The boy is also from a shrine family that is held in great esteem in the shrine community," the old man continued over his younger guest's protests. "He's been trained as a monk which tells you he holds the skill to gently extract confessions without stressing the confessor. He uses the holy techniques to calm victims, also aiding in the collection of witness testimony."

Sesshoumaru's gold eyes stared at the Higurashi head as he expounded on the character and skills of Tanaka Miroku. He wasn't really listening to the deluge of words clouding up the atmosphere. He had come looking for recommendations because Sesshoumaru didn't have a network of trusted people he didn't already employ. It had never been a problem before.

Maybe he had been short-sighted. Sesshoumaru's father knew a great number of people that weren't necessarily employed by the government. Some were heads of other governments in foreign companies. Masashi held friendship ties to a number of popular celebrities. Most of the wealthy families around the globe, whether human or _youkai_, held personal connections with the Japanese _omo_.

Sesshoumaru had always assumed those ties came with time. While he was certain time played a part in his father's extensive social network, he was now coming to believe there was more to it than simply meeting people in passing. In the same way that Sesshoumaru found it difficult to care about the petty squabbles of various individuals he'd barely met in passing. He supposed the same could be said for others in regard to himself. He was not as...personable as his father. He was not master of that mysterious art that drew people to warmer manners than mere polite interactions.

"He is also exceedingly organized," Genkei rattled on, delineating the finer points of Miroku's skillset.

Sesshoumaru was no longer listening. His visit today had only highlighted that he would need more than one person for this task. Miroku would be a good person to start with though. Like Genkei, Miroku was of a social breed, one who established meaningful and useful contacts to work with at need.

Sesshoumaru would use Miroku's skills as an investigator for this project. He didn't need Genkei to itemize the former officers qualifications for the job. As the old man had stated, the best proof of Miroku's qualifications was the file he'd put together for Kagome's case. One Sesshoumaru's own people had just reconstructed and well knew how much work went into it. The human was a thorough investigator, tracking down every possible witness to portray a full track of the events the night Kagome landed in hospital.

"Hn," the white _inu_ intoned, derailing Genkei's train of praise.

"Wha-" the old man had trouble understanding the abrupt interruption. "Sesshoumaru-_dono_?" It was known inside shrine circles that the Northern _daijin_ had little use for excess words, but Genkei had momentarily forgotten that as he warmed to the subject of recommending his young acquaintance for the task.

"That is quite enough," Sesshoumaru blandly informed his companions. He turned to the younger human pointedly. "You will meet this Sesshoumaru to formalize salary arrangements and fill out proper paperwork in short order. Beyond salary, travel and business expanses shall also be provided, within reason."

Miroku's eyes had gone wide in surprise, but he nodded just the same._** "**_Travel expenses?" The former officer breathed in disbelief.

"Hn, it is unlikely that Higurashi was the only victim that felt the need to remove themselves from Inuyasha's reach," Sesshoumaru added.

"No, I get that," Miroku backpedaled slightly. Sesshoumaru stared down the flabbergasted man and acknowledged that his abrupt decision was likely against the shrine network's profile of him. Sesshoumaru wasn't one to make hasty decisions or take advice. Which wasn't altogether true in Sesshoumaru's opinion.

Despite the speed at which he just reached this decision, it wasn't in haste. Sesshoumaru knew Tanaka Miroku's work and background. He'd just watched the man, with no notice, come up with reasonable strategies on how to wade through the excess media coverage of his younger sibling's activities to find truth. As for taking advice, well-reasoned opinions were hard to come by in the world Sesshoumaru lived in. There were few who offered more than emotional biases and Sesshoumaru had no need of such baseless directives. If all he'd wanted was emotion, the white _inu_ could use his own.

"If you are through here, we can discuss it now," Sesshoumaru hummed as he nodded to Genkei and turned to leave. His departure was slightly abrupt, but Genkei was used to Sesshoumaru's ways. All the northern _daijin_'s visits to the shrine had a purpose and once that purpose was fulfilled, the visit was concluded with little ceremony.

"Now?" Miroku inquired, still stunned by this turn of events. Sesshoumaru supposed the proposed employment might be something of a shock for the human and the abrupt suggestion to discuss it without prior notice might seem against the grain. Most _youkai_ tended to take their time in putting plans into actions and viewed humans as impatient, immature, children with short-sighted planning ability. But some situations were harmed more by delay than haste.

Miroku turned to Genkei, confusion evident on his features, only to find the elder gesturing for him to quickly follow the departing Sesshoumaru. "What are you waiting for? Go!" the eldest Higurashi exclaimed urgently behind Sesshoumaru's departing back.

Sesshoumaru didn't pause for the young male to catch up until he reached the stairs under the _Torii_ gate. It was the _inu_'s favorite spot in the shrine. At the top of the stairs facing away from the courtyard the air rushed up at him, breezing through his hair and stirring his clothes. The smell of it sometimes contained wild growing things, a scent difficult to come by in the city. Even the biting chill of it was welcomed as it reminded him of flight and speed and freedom. All things denied him in the course of his work leading his assigned territories.

Actually, Sesshoumaru's eyes shot from the cloud covered sky to the municipal buildings that weren't even properly visible from this area, the work for ruling didn't pen him in as much as dancing attendance on his father's court games. Proper delegation made so that Sesshoumaru probably could avoid Tokyo appearances more often if not for the demands of Masashi's social tableau.

The territory Sesshoumaru governed was technically still the purview of his father's reign and in order to hold the office, he was required to meet Masashi's demands, no matter how inane, inconvenient, or unpalatable.

"Sesshoumaru-_dono_," Miroku called timidly.

"This Sesshoumaru has given you no reason for such caution," Sesshoumaru scolded the male blandly. "The shrines have surely made note that while I can be demanding, I am not an unfair task master." He would set reasonable deadlines, moderate his demands to fit with human limitations, and trust Miroku's own dedication and sense of duty to keep him at his task. Sesshoumaru had no intention of hovering over his new researcher, nor did he intend to set anyone else to doing so.

"The shrine families keep information on disposition and behavior as it pertains to the keeping of general peace," Miroku replied. "Your habits as an employer of former shrine family and humans in general have not yet been established or observed."

"Hn," golden eyes turned from the gray cityscape to the tense male beside him. Sesshoumaru was beginning to think that he could learn a lot about himself from the files the shrines had built as pertained to himself. He'd never thought to notice the rarity of humans retained on his staff. "How soon can you begin working on the project?"

"I am currently unemployed for the first time in several years," Miroku wryly pointed out. "My family and friends are all constrained by work hours and other obligations. They haven't had the chance to get used to my abundance of free time. So far, my visits with Higurashi Genkei and other retired acquaintances, I've had nothing to fill my time." In less words, he was free to start immediately and uncomfortable being so idle.

"Indeed," Sesshoumaru acknowledged the words, moreso the undercurrent. The male's tone indicated he'd rather be busy again _before_ others could start trying to help him find employment in their individually condescending and unhelpful ways. Sesshoumaru himself had never been unemployed, but that didn't leave him incapable of imagining what sort of aid would be had from those convinced one couldn't find a job on his own.

"It would be wise to invest in the services of a programmer," Miroku suggested. "Sorting through backlogs of publications accumulated over several years would yield faster results with a program that can search for specific word groupings and filter out certain phrases or exclude certain types of publications."

Sesshoumaru nodded as he lead his new employee down to the street. The suggestion had practical merit. Even a fully developed filter program would turn up hundreds of sources Miroku would have to read through to find what was honest news, but hundreds was a smaller number than the near billions of articles available to sort through.

"I have a couple options in mind," Miroku added. "I knew a guy in high school who enjoyed building programs in his down time."

"It is his employment now?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"No," the human male shook his head. "He refused to turn his hobby into a career. He's very good at it, don't get me wrong." Miroku assured him, "I think his view was similar to the one a lot of writers and other artists take. It's a hobby to help unwind from the rest of life's demands. Getting paid for it, being required to meet deadlines would take the fun out of it. Or so he always said."

"And the other?" the _inu_ inquired.

"I'd like to approach my friend first," Miroku stalled. Clearly the second option was even more unconventional. Sesshoumaru found himself increasingly pleased with his choice. The man had already picked up the reality that pursuing orthodox avenues for this project were not advisable. A hobbyist picking up a new project wouldn't register with even the voracious rumormonger.

"Hn," Sesshoumaru allowed Miroku to stop there. If the first option worked out, there was no reason to consider the second. Curiosity simply wasn't enough to draw this out. There were other things that needed his attention and he wasn't going to second guess his decision to put Tanaka Miroku in charge of investigating Inuyasha's past victims.


	10. Chapter 10

See notes in First Chapter.

**X.**

The silence of snow choked woods was always profound. Kagome was a city girl. She grew up in a world of never ending sound. There was always the hum of traffic and electric lights. Sirens serenaded the night with inconstant shrieks of alarm. Footsteps were covered by the sound of the masses talking over them. Even in the sunset shrine, a place renowned for its peace within the city couldn't touch on the amazing lack of noise that filled the trees that surrounded town after a winter storm.

Snow, Kagome had learned through the years in Hokkaido, absorbed sound so well, she fancied you could hear the flowers bud. That is, if the snow fell late enough in the year that the trees and plants had been fooled into believing spring was arriving. The woods were especially quiet after the wind died down following a storm. Though that impression could be a result of the sudden juxtaposition of still air after the howling tempest.

It made the crunching of her feet as she traipsed out on one of her shrine's most sacred and unknown duties seem like the lumbering movements of a bull in a china shop. It was moments like this that Kagome could fully understand _youkai_ complaints over human noise. Because while she could certainly hear absolutely every move she made and nothing else, she also knew that she was not the only living thing moving about right now. Small animals and forest dwelling _youkai_ would be out after the storm had passed to assess the damage to their hollows in the same way people down in town would be checking homes, buildings and docks. They would be out collecting food against the possibility of another storm unless they were truly hibernating still.

Her breath announced itself over the absent wind, a loud gasping sound that normally could only be heard in the creepy eerie portions of movies. The eeriness was only exacerbated by the very real warmth and presence of her current companions. Oki and Naoki were both with her and she couldn't hear either of them over her own sound. They'd been invited on this trip because the storm had spooked them a bit the night before. That and the reason for this task had wanted to meet them.

There were few who knew the history of Higurashi _Jinja_ so well as to discover the reason for its deliberate placement. Some shrines popped up to draw attention and respect to natural phenomena, others were placed to protect them from curiosity and the natural damage constant attention could bring.

The shrine outside _Nishi no Mura_ was a strategic effort to employ misdirection. For as long as the shrine had been present, it was the duty of the Higurashi in charge to serve the needs of the locals both human and _youkai_. But their biggest duty was to protect one of the rarest types of _youkai_ still alive.

Bokusenou was one of the oldest of his species still living. He enjoyed the occasional visitor, but it was a risk to allow too many people to know of his location and existence. Most of his fellows were felled by ambitious and greedy craftsmen, cut down at a far younger age for use of their powerful wood. Tree _youkai_ were not born of _youkai_ trees. They were the type of _youkai_ who became when the situation and surrounding elements were **just right**. Once a tree became, the wood was generally imbued with special properties that were greatly coveted.

Kagome knew for a fact the current _omo_ had two swords sheathed in Bokusenou's own voluntarily donated wood. But there were few who would ask a tree for wood and respect if that tree said no.

As such, her most sacred and secret duty was to keep from town the existence of Bokusenou and to check on him after storms to see if he needed any help.

In the beginning, the old tree had not needed the human aid after storms. He'd had his own treaty set up with a family of forest dwellers who looked after him as he sheltered them, but they had died out years ago. Now Kagome came out as her uncle had done before to see if Bokusenou needed help shedding wind damaged limbs or removing encroaching neighbors. Anything he shed was carefully hoarded until Kagome could hand it off to Ryoichi for sale. The _chiji_'s wider range of territory helped to obfuscate the location the wood was collected from. Hokkaido was certainly far larger in area than one small town on the coast with only a single shrine.

Oki's claws tightened around Kagome's shoulder as the old tree's _youki_ began to be detectable. He was a powerful old tree, but he had no reason to shout his presence to the world. There was no need for him to defend his territory from other _youkai_ as few needed the same resources as he did. There weren't many plant-based _youkai_ this far north and what few there were seldom appear this close to the coast.

"It's all right," Kagome murmured soothingly as she gently swept her gloved hand over the striped fur. "He's expecting us and he wanted to meet you." There was no real warning before you were practically on top of where Bokusenou had taken root. His energy was tightly compacted in the space around him. Announcing his presence on a wider scale would only prove detrimental for his health.

Naoki had chosen to ride on Kagome's leg, sitting on her foot and forcing her to an awkward gait that left her slightly unbalanced. Oki clung from nervousness. Naoki's clingy behavior had different sources. Kagome suspected the little male was suffering under a fear of abandonment. Oki didn't seem to remember or fear much before the time she came to Kagome's care. Naoki was older and quite determined to stay with Kagome.

The tangle of trees and underbrush abruptly cleared out as they entered Bokusenou's bower. The space sheltered under his branches was mostly clear of snow, not that there had been much of it deposited in the storm last night. It had mostly been windy fury which ended with freezing temperatures.

"Well met, Higurashi," the gruff old voice called as his face appeared in the bark of his trunk.

Kagome bowed respectfully to the tree. "Well met, Bokusenou-_san_," she greeted him. "I hope the storm didn't blow you about too much."

"The tantrums of the sky can offer little difficulty for a tree that knows how to bend with them," Bokusenou replied, stoically. "Though that poor sapling to the south dropped a few branches against me." The "poor sapling" was at least a hundred years old and taller than Kagome's house in Tokyo. But, everything was relative and for a tree that was over two thousand years old and had been cognizant for the majority of that time, one hundred years was as the change of a season.

"Do you need help dropping his wind fall?" Kagome asked, she was always careful to keep to the genders the old tree assigned to his neighbors. She figured a tree would be a better judge of tree sex than a non-tree person. The question was incredibly important to ask though. Bokusenou had limited capability to move on his own. Sometimes the old Magnolia tree had problems untangling things caught in his branches. That's what she was for. That and when broken branches refused to let go completely. Sometimes Bokusenou would ask for removal of a limb that was bothering him, having grown in at a bad angle putting strain on an otherwise healthy joint. Sometimes whole trees fell against him, in which case Kagome would have to call in Ryoichi for some greater muscle power.

"No, I managed to shake it loose fairly quickly," Bokusenou answered. "I'm more interested in these visitors you have brought me. Charges of my shrine should know me." Almost any other nonhuman creature to claim ownership of a shrine like that would sound arrogant whether their words were true or not. In Bokusenou, the words were more teasing than anything. The shrine had Kagome's family name on it, but the reason it existed at all was his.

"Bokusenou-_san_," Kagome raised her hand back up to cradle Oki's suddenly shaking paws were they clung to her coat. "This is Oki-_chan _and her elder brother, Naoki-_kun_." Her other gloved hand reached for the top of his head where he clutched her pant leg.

"You are well met, shrine charges," Bokusenou greeted both in his strange wooden way. The old tree didn't always bother with names after first acquaintances for there had been far too many of those that had not seen a repeat appearance. "I have known many of your kind in my time." The branches above them shifted and groaned. His action seemed to set off a reaction from all the local trees as more branches creaked and barked against each other.

Kagome often wondered if Bokusenou gossiped with his neighbors in a special, never understood tree language. The old _youkai_ always seemed to know more about what was going on in the world than he should given his incredibly sedentary lifestyle. He certainly didn't talk to every nonhuman that came close to him so there was no other viable source of information. At least, not to her knowledge.

Oki ducked behind Kagome's shoulder to hide from the tree's wizened face. She could feel the little kit's claws digging into the padding of her coat. The pair were nervous around strangers. The bigger the stranger, the more nervous they became.

It wasn't surprising given the number of _youkai_ bigger than _shimarisu_ young that had abused them in their short lives. And the ones who hadn't outright abused them had certainly done little to put them at ease.

Kagome smiled tensely at the old magnolia tree without moving to dislodge either set of claws from her clothing. They had all the time in the world to discover their courage and face Bokusenou at their own pace. She wouldn't force them to hurry any more than she had forced the pair to join her.

The tree may have requested an introduction, but Kagome wouldn't force it. A visit wasn't necessary for his well-being and if Oki and Naoki hadn't been curious and willing, she would have left them at the shrine like she had for every storm since their first arrival.

"Come, come," Bokusenou coaxed them from their nerves. "I have no need to harm the squirrels that nest in my boughs, or the birds that peck insects and worms from my branches. There have been _shimarisu_ I held close ties to. I have always enjoyed the young ones that danced with my leaves and tickled the ground around my roots."

Kagome wanted to sigh as both kits tugged more urgently on her person in response. Oki's shifting pulled Kagome's hair causing her scalp to prickle with the abuse. Her scalp prickled uncomfortably before Kagome determinedly dismissed the sensation. Naoki's tightened grip on her pant leg threatened to cut off the circulation. The limb was beginning to tingle uncomfortably.

Bokusenou made the same mistake when Kagome was first introduced to him.

Then she'd been fresh from the trauma of Inuyasha's assault, still reeling from the consequences of a few moments and a set of careless claws. The tree had told her to let go of her loss and be happy for what she still had.

Good advice to be delivered by a sage, intimate friend or a counselor after a therapy session. Even an unknown counselor delivering such words after a period of mourning would have been more acceptable.

Nobody was going to be receptive to such words delivered by a complete stranger in any setting on the immediate heels of the initial injurious incident.

You couldn't tell someone not to be depressed, or nervous, or frightened and have the desired effect upon first introduction. It would often have the opposite effect. When Bokusenou had told Kagome to cheer up, she'd spiraled into a deeper depression. When the tree told her charges not to be afraid, they worked harder to hide from him.

It was actually a common error among some of the older _youkai_ Kagome had occasion to observe throughout her life. It was almost like they forgot you couldn't jump from first meeting to a well-established relationship in ten seconds. Trust and understanding were built slowly, through mutual experiences filled with the awkwardness of learning. Many situations may reoccur, but rarely did even the same two people react exactly the same to a recurring event or situation. Time changed perception.

But, Kagome understood that pointing out his mistake wouldn't fix Bokusenou's habit of trying to assume he knew more about the people who appeared in his glade than he actually did. Every human was not the same as all the ones he had met in his past. Every _shimarisu _was not the same as the family he had known and sheltered.

He had little chance of practicing a new strategy for making friends. Even if his old one was only ever successful by virtue of duty and necessity. Kagome developed a better understanding of the old tree because she had to work with him and tend his health. Her predecessor had told her it was the same with him. The people who developed close ties with the _Honoki_ usually did so as more of a working relationship than because of his initial effort to make friends.

There was also the simple reality that a tree had little reason to fully understand the motivations of more mobile creatures. Bokusenou didn't have to hunt for food to survive. He was a tree, a plant, and all he needed was found in the sun, rain and soil that had always nurtured him. He didn't need to breed like other creatures did, as trees reproduced via a very long distance technique that either utilized wind or small creatures to carry the necessary pollen and seeds to their ultimate destinations. Which also left him out of the need to nurture offspring or much of anything else.

Bokusenou had no need to seek shelter from the weather as the chances a cold snap could damage him much was minimal and hot weather only increased his thirst for moisture he could find in the soil without having to move. The tree didn't have to fight for space among his fellows and depending on when Bokusenou became self-aware he likely never knew that he'd ever had to.

Oh, the _Honoki_ could observe such behaviors, he could study them and possibly identify their usual conclusions, but he couldn't understand them. Bokusenou likely didn't understand ambition, heartbreak, fear, or a host of other widely experienced debilitating emotions that didn't have simple fixes. Such feelings could perhaps be identified by a thorough study of facial expressions and associated behaviors, even sociopaths were capable of as much. That didn't mean empathy or even sympathy automatically followed.

In which case, age probably wasn't much of a factor in Bokusenou's ineptitude at making friends, Kagome concluded absently.

Kagome was only thankful it wasn't later in the year. Bokusenou was more active during the warmer months, assisted by flexible new growth and the added hours of sunlight. He certainly didn't uproot and move around, but he had more energy to reach for things with his branches and a sort of prehensile system of vines that appeared every spring.

She was certain that both Oki and Naoki would have bolted from the area if the tree could reach for them right now. If their first encounter with Bokusenou had ended that way, she doubted they'd ever come back to try again. The experience could be so traumatic the pair might even refuse to step foot in the forest again, which would permanently cripple their future. _Shimarisu_ generally weren't skilled at disguising themselves and most _youkai_ who couldn't didn't do very well in close proximity of human society.

They would never find mates, never raise kits of their own. Their lives would inevitably be shorter than if they had lived in their traditional habitat among their own people. It would be harder for them to eat an appropriate diet and the likelihood of chronic depression was greatly increased. Kagome would prefer if her charges could avoid that.

Introducing the pair to Bokusenou was a risk. Kagome hoped Oki and Naoki would develop some form of connection with him so they would always have a safe haven to retreat to when there was need. That wouldn't happen if he instilled in them a fear of trees.

"You are scaring them, Bokusenou-san," Kagome murmured gently.

"I am?" the tree questioned. His confusion was evident as the bark creased slightly more between the mossy lines of his brows and the barking of branches swept though the neighboring trees again. Fear wasn't an emotion the old tree was likely to easily empathize with.

"You are a great deal bigger than they are," Kagome confirmed, trying to couch her explanation in terms that were simple and easy to understand for someone who had likely never had cause to fear. "Most of the _youkai_ they have encountered that were also larger than they have done them harm." Oki and Naoki's fear was both rational and irrational, but it was reasonable to expect it.

"AH!" The trees face smoothed slightly as if he recalled something that helped him understand. "It is the nature of small things to be wary of that which is larger than themselves." Bokusenou's epiphany sent another series of barking branches rustling around the local trees. "I shall strive to gain their trust by continuing to be inert. You will bring them by more often to help reassure them that I will not harm them."

Kagome simply nodded without making any promises. She would not force her charges out here again. She doubted very much that she would have to, Naoki was quite determined to overcome is fears and Oki followed his lead out of curiosity. They would set the pace, individually or as a pair. If it was a slow pace, that was fine. The passing of time was hardly noticed by trees as old as Bokusenou.

That was part of the reason Naoki was being so clingy. Kagome doubted he was as scared as he was portraying. Kagome had informed the pair they would be taking lessons in the forest towards the end that they would eventually return to live there in the future. He didn't want to accept that he wouldn't always be living with Kagome. He didn't seem to realize that change was inevitable, that even if Kagome were able to allow him to stay forever, she wouldn't live that long.

A sudden disruption of the _Seishin-tekina shouheki _caught her attention. The barrier had a limited range, and normally when Kagome wasn't immediately on the grounds disruptions couldn't reach her. But she was still pretty close and there wasn't much currently distracting her.

"Visitor?" Bokusenou inquired.

"Hmm," Kagome acknowledged. Many _reiki_ users weren't able to distinguish between _youkai_ species from _youki_ feel alone. It required a certain heightened attention to what for most was a minor sense. It was like an _inu_ paying more attention to the look of something than the scent. Humans with _reiki_ seldom relied strongly on what their spirit senses told them about the world around them. The normal senses were usual more present and more than enough.

Kagome was among the rare set of people that couldn't ignore what her _reiki_ told her. It was too strong so she always knew when _youkai_, _mononoke_, and other _reiki _users were about. With the benefit of having grown up in Tokyo, one of the biggest species mixing pots in the country, she'd had a great deal of exposure to various species. Closer familiarity could also allow her tell the difference between individuals within the same family and species.

AS such, even at this distance she could identify that the shrine visitor was a _kitsune_ that was not local. It felt familiar, but Kagome was having trouble placing it.

"Local?" the tree asked in curiosity.

"Not from town," Kagome shook her head absently still trying to place where she knew this particular _youki_ from. With a mental shake, she turned back the tree. "Should I return to the shrine?" It was polite to look towards the _Honoki_ for direction. It was **his** safety that would be most at risk if the visiting _youkai_ went in search of the shrine keeper.

"Perhaps it would be prudent," Bokusenou agreed. Although foxes are not commonly agents for wood poacher; it wasn't unheard of. This fox was unknown and the foxes in town hadn't been trusted with the secret of the tree's existence yet, by his own choice.

"Then I'll see you after the next storm," Kagome bowed to her charge, finally managing to loosen Naoki's claws in her pants. And if there wasn't a storm before the season ended, she would be back out here again after the thaw was over. "C'mon Oki-_chan_, Naoki-_kun,_ duty calls."

Kagome felt Oki turn to stare back at the tree as they headed home until the forest closed in to block the old magnolia from view. "He's a bit unique," Kagome addressed the nervous _shimarisu_, "but Bokusenou has no reason to hurt you or anyone else." She didn't add anything more. She didn't have the time as her attention was increasingly focused on the approaching fox.

It was a good thing the storm hadn't brought a load of snow with it. Kagome didn't have time to cover her tracks right now. The wind and Bokusenou's own defenses could blow her scent around, but a straight line of broken snow would have been harder to hide.

"Keep up Naoki-_kun_," Kagome called to the lagging kit, pausing to turn and allow him to catch up. "Part of our job is to make sure other, unwanted people don't find our tree. He's trusting you to keep him safe." Naoki darted forward to climb up beside his sister on her back. "There are bad people that would do irreparable damage if they knew."

Naoki tugged at her hair and Kagome briefly gritted her teeth at the slight pain before continuing to explain. "This new _kitsune_ may not be one of the bad people. But some good people are bad secret keepers," was her explanation. It was a given that a pair of _shimarisu_ that hadn't said a single word to anyone in the past several months were very **good** secret keepers. "Until we know better, we'll just assume every new person fits in that type."

"Hey!" they heard as the neared the shrine grounds. "Anybody home!" the sound was distant. The volume of it increased with their movement and the assumed travel of the curious visitor trailing after the most recent scent. "I was sent from Tokyo by the Northern _daijin_."

Kagome slowed down and relaxed. If Sesshoumaru sent him, it was likely this new _youkai_ was intended to teach her charges how to live in the forest properly. How effective a _kitsune_ would be was slightly questionable since most lived in human settlements, but she was willing to keep an open mind. "Hello," she called back. "We've just been out on a walk."

"A walk?" The red-head questioned as the two parties came into view of each other. "In these temperatures? Surely, you haven't taken up such unhealthy habits in the time we've been apart Kagome-_chan_!"

"Shippou-_kun_!" Kagome exclaimed as she recognized him. "It's been ages! When did you start taking on tutoring jobs?"

"This would be my first one," Shippou smiled up at her as the pair affectionately hugged. Naoki growled at the fox while Oki struggled to avoid the arm thrown around Kagome. "I suppose these are supposed to be my pupils."

"Yes," Kagome agreed as she turned the combined group back towards the shrine. "Oki-_chan_ and Naoki-_kun_ came into my custody last fall and we've had a very comfortable winter together. But they both need to spend more time in the forest and get back to their natural habitat before they become too dependent on human aid."

Naoki scowled at them both and leapt from Kagome to race towards their shared quarters as soon as the shrine came into view. "Naoki-_kun_ disagrees," she quietly informed her poorly disguised friend.

Shippou had never mastered his illusions due to a lack of necessary teachers as he was growing up. His parents had been free _youkai_ because the Reynard of their leash had wanted to mate the female and she had chosen to mate a different male in the leash. Shippou had been born after the separation. He could have developed normally still, if both his parents hadn't died shortly after his birth.

It was actually a wonder the fox kit had survived at all. Nature had intervened on his behalf by supplying him with an _usagi_ mother and extended tribe that had taught him how to forage, burrow, and hide. He'd lived with them until human expansion had proven too much for the warrens and few of his sheltering family had adapted to living among humans as well as he had adapted to living among bunnies.

It had left him feeling guilty to survive where so many of those that had raised Shippou failed to. He'd quickly made it his mission to help other free _youkai_ assimilate to human cohabitation and independence. He'd founded a few communities and outreach programs in Tokyo to make it easier. Shippou had also worked with the Shrine school and _youkai_ government to spread understanding of the special needs of free _youkai_ communities and groups. Before Shippou had started his programs the _omo_'s policy was to treat free _youkai_ like criminals neglecting to consider corrupt leadership, _youkai_ born outside of species groupings – like Shippou -, and those who left for other, personal reasons – like mating across species, choosing not to mate, or choosing to mate against the clans interests.

Sadly, the shrines were more willing to change their perception than Masashi had been, but he had eventually seen the light.

"I thought you'd never give up fighting for your cause," Kagome squeezed her friends arm to communicate she wasn't judging his choices, just curious over this change.

"There are plenty of well-trained advocates for our communities that don't have to fight the perception of being immature or untrained," Shippou shrugged. The _kitsune_ was fully grown, but his disguise still had a very obvious tail, paws, and lacked the usual added height that was common for grown fox disguises. Shippou had been an inch taller than Kagome when she met him at the shrine school. Within two years she'd over taken his height. "Besides, I might have an easier time of helping them adapt to forest life than helping some fresh-faced,disassociated frogs learn to deal with human life." A lot of species still found the transition to city and town living extremely difficult.

"I believe Oki-_chan_ is more open to learning anything you have to teach, but Naoki-_kun_ will be difficult to persuade," Kagome smiled at her visitor she ushered inside her home. Naoki was already settled, pouting in the corner. She was rather pleased with Sesshoumaru selection of teacher. It was likely that the _shimarisu_'s education would take years, which meant their teacher would likely be staying with her for that long. It was a discomfort she'd been prepared to weather for their sake regardless of who was chosen, but it was a wonderful surprise her long-term guest was also an old friend.

"So what do you need from me?" Shippou asked her as he settled under the _kotatsu_ while she collected the makings of tea. He quickly found the cord to the heater and switched it on, earning a pleased grin from Oki as she also sat at the heated table.

"You'll probably need to keep them mostly out of sight," Kagome told as she finally was able to join the table. Tea was poured round and happily savored before she continued. "This isn't the city, these people do not tolerate the idea that _youkai_ walk beside them, forget the reality. All the _youkai_ in town are well disguised. All the surrounding areas stay wellaway from town for mutual safety."

Shippou scowled but didn't interrupt.

"You may be seen on your own, if you don't mind dealing with the consequences," Kagome allowed. "But I should warn you that Sesshoumaru was here overtly over New Year and we had an incident that could have cost lives without some careful maneuvering."

The fox's expression changed from disgusted anger to utterly flabbergasted.

"I would not advise attempting to approach any of the hidden families in town unless they come up to the shrine and no one else is about," she added. "You are **never** to purposely expose Oki and Naoki to the town's people knowledge. Their chances of coming through the encounter unscathed are minuscule."

"Not to mention the risk it'll bring you," Shippou pondered.

"I accepted that risk when I brought them here," her words were sharp. "However, exposing this shrine as a harbor for orphaned _youkai_ would quickly end the shrine's effectiveness in its original capacity as a mediator between the human and the non-human. So lets not do it if we don't need to."

"I got it," Shippou huffed at her scolding and Kagome admitted she might have over done it. He was many years her senior, even if he did look younger than her brother.

"I'm not saying it wouldn't be possible to publicly take in someone of _youkai_ blood if they had the right backing, as I could explain away your appearance by mentioning Sesshoumaru sent you without detailing the reason he sent you," Kagome shrugged. "But these two appeared randomly in the night. Bigoted humans can only accept so much."

"True," Shippou sighed as he studied Oki blowing over the steam emanating from her small cup of tea. "Youkai can be the same." He sipped more tea before changing subject, "How much do they know?"

"I'm not certain, but from what I saw when I collected them, I would start from the beginning," Kagome reached over to rub over Oki's furred cheek affectionately. "Whatever they learned before either wasn't cohesively taught or demonstrated, or they'd gone so long between lessons everything had been forgotten. Plus they've been with me the last few months."

"All right, the basics then," Shippou nodded. "We'll start with stealth. It's the wrong season for burrowing and foraging won't do them any good if they get eaten before they find food." It was also the hardest to master, took the longest to teach, and often frustrated the teacher and student enough to completely ingrain itself once learned. "Besides, they've got this cushy home to come back to and food readily available for now," Shippou grinned.

"You just don't want to sleep outdoors until you have to," Kagome teased.

"You know it!" He agreed unabashedly.


	11. Chapter 11

See notes in First Chapter.

\+ Assume all Chapters are "fillers" and the "open" plot doesn't exist. There is no plot. There is no Story. This isn't going anywhere. Move along.

\+ The warning that my updating schedule may become irregular is very shortly to become reality. Life remains stressful and has failed to even out as hoped. Just a few more chapters prepared before we hit that wall.

+Your reactions to Kagome's mother amuse me. Akina is a part of an element in society that persists in victim blaming and excusing "boy-like" behavior in effort to perpetuate the narrow view that no woman can be happy without man, marriage, and children. It is still common in Japanese Society/custom to expect a woman to quit work upon marriage or no later than children. That Akina viewed Kagome's "dream" as foolish or unrealistic in this context isn't so far-fetched. It's certainly not reality, or wouldn't have been, but people believe what they want to believe.

\+ Some of you may have noticed that chapters lengths vary wildly. That's just how the chapters worked out. I break up the story where it works not at any specific word or page count. In fact, when I first starting writing this story absolutely everything was in one long file. I later broke it up where it made the most sense, hence uneven chapters.

**XI.**

Miroku settled easily on the public bench of a modest-sized park before taking a bite from the crepe he'd purchased from the truck outside the entrance.

He had never been good at being idle when there was a case to investigate.

While a specific search engine would definitely be helpful in sifting through available information on the internet, building it would take time. There was no instant programming method and whatever was built would have to be tested and refined. The process had already taken weeks and would likely take weeks more.

He knew that, and luckily, he worked for a boss who also knew that.

Still, once set on a task to find victims and help them, Miroku chaffed under the steady, sandy flow of time sweeping by. He hated to let suffering continue when he'd been tasked with exposing and fixing it.

Hence why Miroku's brain had continued working the problem over until he'd realized there were other ways to investigate possible victims. Inuyasha had managed to send one of his former girlfriends to the hospital. Such violent behavior wasn't likely to disappear or de-escalate over time without external interference. Other victims would almost certainly have been sent to the hospital.

Knowing Inuyasha had sent one victim to the hospital wouldn't exactly be a huge lead in a city the size of Tokyo. There were several different hospitals to cover the area after all. So Miroku went back to the one he knew had seen one of Inuyasha's victims. The one Kagome had been admitted to was a great place to start. Employees who worked on Kagome would be the most likely to recognize a repeat.

One of Miroku's best informants worked in that hospital and made the rounds of different departments on a regular basis. He didn't plan to ask anybody to violate privacy laws and Hachi knew that. The _tanuki_ hadn't been aware of any patients that had passed through ICU with similar injuries but he had known someone who worked almost exclusively in intensive care since before Kagome's stint as a victim of violence.

Miroku shifted to look around the manicured area around his bench as he finished his snack and waited. Crumpling the wrapper and accompanying napkin to stick in his pocket, Miroku turned to stretch his arm over the back of the bench, he shifted slightly to take in more of the people in the park. One knee came up to rest over the seat beside him bracing his ankle over the opposite leg. Perhaps it wasn't the most courteous or formal way to sit in a public bench, but it did help reserve the seat for his contact.

There wasn't a lot of traffic in this particular park at this time of day, at least not during this season.

Most of the people he was able to observe were merely passing by on the sidewalk that passed the quiet inlet to the park. It wasn't exactly warm enough out to invite prolonged enjoyment of nature. If Miroku weren't meeting someone here, he certainly wouldn't have thought to stop in. But it was a good spot to have a quiet conversation unlikely to be overheard. Certainly better than a cafe, restaurant, or other public meeting place to be found in doors.

Here there was no crowd to guard against eavesdropping. The street noise and close confines of the surrounding buildings prevented unknown listeners from overhearing. Not that Miroku was near to the level of playing spy with this assignment yet. A lot of security could be purchased with the simple expedient of sitting out in plain sight and acting like there was nothing to hide. No one knew what he was working on explicitly beyond his employer so there was no one to try and hide his inquiries from.

The former cop glanced down at his watch to gauge how long he was likely to be kept waiting. Miroku wasn't given an exact time to expect this contact. Hospital staff didn't keep strict hours and schedules, especially in the intensive care unit. The only thing kept rigid was a start time when employees had to show up and even that could move earlier if an emergency arose that required more coverage.

Being without the backing of the department required some adjustment in how he went about things. Miroku couldn't flash a badge to encourage cooperation. He didn't have the protection being official usually carried. Hachi had given him some trouble upon first meeting him yesterday.

The _tanuki_ had made a big deal over it. Rubbing it in and declaring himself free of the former obligation that had induced Hachi to share information. Miroku had to inform the minor _youkai_ that even a civilian was capable of turning in someone with the raccoon-dog's history.

Hachi was working at the hospital under false pretenses.

Miroku didn't usually need the _tanuki_ for his connection to the hospital and associated staff. Medical information was strictly protected by various laws and policies and even the dirtiest cops wouldn't even attempt it. No Hachi was usually tapped for his connections to a network of swindlers, smugglers, con artists, and frauds that both included the raccoon-dog in their number and competed with him for marks. The difference between some of the scum Hachi squealed on and the two bit, snake-oil salesman that worked at the hospital was the severity of their crimes. Hachi's false medicines were usually a one time transaction that never harmed anyone and occasionally did help. The placebo effect could be powerful. Hachi had never had the scope in his operation to pray on the terminally ill to the point that bank accounts were drained or savings depleted. It was mostly just pocket change.

The only reason Hachi had come to Miroku's attention the first year after he'd finished the academy training is because the little _tanuki's _minor scam had been hi-jacked by a far more greedy and aggressive usurper.

Miroku smirked lightly to himself. Hachi always made a big fuss over their continued association though. Every new visit was started with protests of innocence and begging to end the whole thing, but with very little time Hachi would start singing about how much worse this other criminal element was without prompting. The former cop had never even had to resort to fake threats or empty promises. Well, until he wasn't with the department any more.

Sighing to himself and shifting on the bench, his gaze turned to the crystal clear sky above.

"Hachi didn't mention you were the type to lolly-gag in public parks," a sharp voice cut through the manufactured calm created by the absence of immediate machine noise found in the false canyon bound by buildings. Miroku's gaze swept instantly from the empty view to take in the registered nurse he'd been waiting for. The woman's hair was a stark white bound up tightly at the back of her head, obfuscating the actual length of it. Her dress was a somewhat old fashioned uniform, starched stiff and white. Her face was incredibly smooth which wouldn't have been surprising, if she were _youkai_.

Unfortunately, despite the detectable _youki_ threaded through the woman's aura, Miroku could sense she was completely human, proven by the amount of _reiki_ also present in the aura around her person. In older times, before the days of advanced spiritual study and education, this woman would be called a _kuromiko_. Nowadays, that distinction in the flavor of _reiki_ was acknowledged to classify as a variation in energy rather than intent as it had formerly been believed. Every human had some access to _reiki_ but there were only some who drew it to them like magnets enough to effect the energies around them.

The _reiki_ users that voluntarily chose to associate with small _youkai_ like whichever one Tsubaki housed in her spirit were not corrupted or tainted by the association because of the peace established and maintained in society today. Even the tendency of people like her to consume the spirit energy of others wasn't considered inherently evil, every living thing consumed energy. Provided the collection was conducted under specific legally defined circumstances, Tsubaki was a law-abiding citizen living a normal life.

It wasn't like she was **required** to feed off the life forces of young women of a certain age, appearance, or experience. Energy was energy. So, as long as the life energy she took came from someone already at the threshold of death, kept alive by machine and for the purpose of organ donation, it was completely legal. Probably why the woman worked in the ICU. Lots of accidents ended with medically dead patients that were technically still viable for organ donation and contained enough residual life energy to sustain one of her kind.

Miroku didn't much care for such individuals and tended to watch them carefully whenever they happened to be about. It was very easy for any one of them to cross the line if no one was looking. So he looked and he made sure the ones he encountered knew it. "I don't know that waiting for a contact could be considered 'lolly-gagging' wherever it happens to take place," he returned evenly. "Hachi had suggested this location and time was for your convenience. Do not criticize the courtesy shown you." Miroku would have been happier to wait in a coffee shop or to meet his contact outside her hospital where he wouldn't have to worry about prolonged exposure to chilly temperatures.

"Hmph!" Tsubaki scoffed. "My convenience, you say. You are the one asking for information, dragging me out of my routine to aid in your efforts, whatever they are. I may complain about whatever I wish. You are asking me to skirt privacy laws, threatening my position and livelihood. And for what?" Her dark eyes narrowed at him irritably. "I remember you, digging around after the Higurashi case. Yet all your professional effort proved a waste of my time. Nothing happened to the cretin."

"Maybe not then," Miroku conceded. "My job was to investigate, which I did. It is not my fault the subsequent file was then purposely mislaid by others at both enforcement agencies."

"Oh, fault. Blame." She huffed with clear condescension. "Only a petty child speaks of such in the face of proven ineffectiveness."

Miroku wanted to argue procedure and protocol. He wanted to point out ignorance of the missing files until Sesshoumaru went looking for them. Staring at the stiff woman before him, his points tasted like ashes in his mouth. He'd been the one to assemble the file, when he learned no one was planning to pursue the issue further Miroku could have skipped the chain of command and climbed higher up until he met with someone who would, before the official file disappeared.

And arguing procedure felt false after he was terminated for ignoring it. Obviously, procedure and protocol weren't real impediment given the right circumstances and opportunity.

Trying to turn things back on Tsubaki, claiming she didn't do anything wouldn't work either. Tsubaki didn't have access to the file Miroku constructed. She did what she could with the resources she had. The woman had kept Kagome's assailant from contact with her, denied Inuyasha entrance at all hours of the day. Of course, in order to do that, Tsubaki had also blocked everyone for a time, but no one could argue the nurse had sat by and allowed more harm to her patient.

"Well, something is being done now," Miroku settled. This woman rubbed him the wrong way when he'd first met her back after Kagome's attack. Time and familiarity had never eased his initial opinion. This woman was hard, uncompromising, and bitter. She had no compunction of stabbing unnecessary nuisances like law enforcement and victim family members with chiding words.

Tsubaki took her job seriously, her focus incredibly narrow and well-defined. If you were her patient, she would fiercely fight to keep you that way until you were well or declared medically dead. Until then, everyone not wearing a medical uniform was the enemy of your health and she would insure they knew it and kept their distance. Medical personnel didn't get a free pass either. Every member of the team on her patient was checked and double checked for identity and intent. Every doctor's decision was questioned and vetted before implemented.

Miroku didn't know what her success rate was, but Hachi had insisted that Tsubaki was well respected, if a bit feared through all departments at her hospital. Kagome had likely been lucky she'd landed in that hospital when Inuyasha attacked her.

"Now?" Tsubaki's eyes slit in an angry glare. "Now the statute of limitations is almost up. What can you possibly do now that the little Higurashi has fled before the wolf like a little coward?"

It was Miroku's turn to glare. "Insult me if you wish, but you will not impugn Higurashi's courage in my presence," he warned. Not only would Miroku give Tsubaki hell, but his employer would likely violently show the nurse the error of her opinions. "Inuyasha did not stop harassing the victim because she left the hospital."

"She lived on a shrine," Tsubaki sniffed in disdain. "The little girl was a _reiki_ user capable of manipulating the _Seishin-tekina shouheki_ to keep out a mere _hanyou_."

"She did not live on that shrine alone," Miroku retorted. "Her mother did not accept Inuyasha's guilt. Higurashi was forced to flee the island for safety."

"What kind of fool woman wou-" Tsubaki began in disbelief.

"I did not come to ask about the Higurashi case again," Miroku cut her off realizing the unproductive subject for what it was. "Higurashi's file has finally found its way into hands that intend to find justice. Unfortunately, as you indicated the statute of limitations runs out soon. My new employer has tasked me with locating any other victims of the southern _daijin_'s violent proclivities."

"Privacy laws prevent me from-" Tsubaki began by rote, repeating the mantra of every hospital staff member confronted for questioning.

"All I want are dates," Miroku interrupted her again. "Not names, not lists of injuries, not family situations, not location of the incidences, just dates. You are familiar with Higurashi's injuries and you would recognize similar sets of injuries if you saw them again." He didn't know what type of _youkai_ Tsubaki kept a pact with so he didn't mention anything about scent or other methods of detection. Not all non-humans were types that could identify someone by scent alone. Birds saw spiritual energies. Dragons tracked by thermal signatures. Nobody had successfully defined how insects tracked people, but their ability to do so almost outshone the scenting abilities of _inu_ and other mammals.

"What makes you so certain there were other victims?" Tsubaki stalled.

"When Inuyasha rediscovered Higurashi's whereabouts his harassment renewed in the same vein as when he was forced to let off it," Miroku informed her. "His troubles in his relationship with Fukuda Kikyou stem from repeated infidelity which ends in a humiliating confrontation for Inuyasha's other lover, same as with Kagome. It is a logical conclusion to think he might follow those public break ups with the same violent follow up as the first we are aware of," he pointed out. "The problem is that Inuyasha is often the subject of gossip and the tales are often exaggerated if they aren't completely false."

Tsubaki nodded and finally sat on the far end of his bench, a gesture that indicated she was willing to help facilitate his efforts to search out other romantic casualties in Inuyasha's past. Still, it was somewhat of a surprise when she answered the question directly after giving him such a hard time about the past. "There have been three in our hospital," the words were sharp and fast, as if she couldn't believe she'd revealed them at all. "The first arrived nearly two years after Higurashi. The second came in three years after that one and the last barely a year later." The woman sighed in anger and resignation. "None of them fared so well as Higurashi," the nurse added. "I feel I can tell you about their final outcomes without breaching the laws. You don't know who they are and I won't go into specifics."

"That's fine," Miroku nodded. It was actually more than he was expecting to learn. The time frames would help focus his search a bit, at lest initially, allowing him to produce viable results that much faster. Granted, he would still have to search the news rags and gossip papers, but starting his search back from the endpoint of a victim landing in the hospital was certainly easier and faster that sifting through every article in his data set dated from Kagome's attack nearly a decade ago.

"The last patient suffered debilitating brain damage and will never be able to live unassisted again. The second barely made it to the hospital before succumbing permanently to her acquired injuries, but the first..." Tsubaki shifted to stare at him seriously. "That first one subsisted in a coma for over five years. The plug was pulled last fall. I don't know who paid for her medical or who made the decision to cut the power," Miroku realized staring at the nurse that Tsubaki was angry on behalf of this unknown woman. He imagined she'd be even more angry if she knew that the plug pulling coincided with Inuyasha's rediscovery of Kagome's location. "The first woman was never visited by family. When she was in the ICU and the administration contacted her next of kin, the family refused to take responsibility for her."

It was a lot more information than Miroku was expecting to receive about mystery patient number one. Something about that first victim after Higurashi had the hard woman ready to track down Inuyasha and do him personal damage. "You don't have to say more," Miroku tried to ease her.

"I've made my decision and time is fast slipping by," Tsubaki snapped. "I've been unable to do anything about it until now and if your employer can help ameliorate the collateral damage of that woman's injuries I'm going to do something now." Miroku cautiously leaned back from the heated nurse and raised his hand in a placating gesture. "The first woman wasn't a victim alone though no other bodies were brought in with her. She had given birth within the previous year and if her family refused to claim her, what happened to that child?"

Miroku sucked in a breath, horrified by what Tsubaki had just implied. While it was entirely possible the victim had birthed the child of some other male, the chances were more likely Inuyasha had fathered a pup and failed to take responsibility for it. Sesshoumaru was going to be incensed. _Inu_ felt very strongly about the protection of pack. That Inuyasha had bred the woman automatically made her and whatever offspring resulted pack. That the _hanyou_ had then put her in the hospital and allowed the child to be lost to the whims of fate was probably the very worst thing an _inu_ could do. There could be no telling what traumas had been handed down to an unprotected pup with blood ties to the current _youkai_ _omo_.

"I am sure my employer will insist on locating the child," Miroku didn't have to guess about that. Sesshoumaru would likely change Miroku's focus to finding that poor thing to make sure the pup was healthy and safe. He just didn't know what the plan would be after locating it. Sesshoumaru didn't have the means or capability to care for a pup on his own.

The public did not couch the dangers of Sesshoumaru's life in terms that entirely indicated the hazards of being Masashi's eldest son and heir apparent. Miroku didn't need a translator to know his employer was often assaulted, occasionally kidnapped, harassed, and nearly raped on an unfortunately regular basis. The risk would be too great to expose a child to. Taking on personal responsibility for a child would likely also serve to distract Sesshoumaru increasing the chances that one of the above attempts would catch him up permanently when it wouldn't before. At which point the pup would likely experience further trauma as any _youkai_ out to harm Sesshoumaru in such ways would hardly care about the welfare of the child that would also be affected.

Miroku resolved to have a few contingency plans worked out before he informed Sesshoumaru of this bomb. It might mitigate a more volatile reaction in the _inu_ if he knew solutions were already being considered for this new problem.

"Maybe I could believe in the mandates of your employer if I knew who that was," Tsubaki commented dryly. "After the dedicated agencies failed to mete out justice for Higurashi leading to the fates of three more, I find it difficult to trust in unknown, faceless, entities."

Miroku shrugged. "You have my face," he pointed out, refusing to answer her unvoiced question. Tsubaki didn't strike him as one to gossip, but all it took was one word in the wrong ear about it and his investigation would be moving against new efforts to hide what he was looking for. "My employer wishes to keep his involvement quiet lest those who previously worked to bury the Higurashi file wake up to the effort to dig up the rest of the victims and whatever pattern Inuyasha has fallen into."

"Makes sense," Tsubaki nodded, acknowledging the breadth of corruption in the world when it came to the wealthy, powerful, and publicly respected. "You probably shouldn't have been so straightforward about what you're looking into in the first place."

"I believed it was the only way you would cooperate," Miroku defended his decision. "I couldn't very well ask you for dates of incidences matching Higurashi's circumstances without referring to Higurashi's case. You are unlikely to tip off anyone in Inuyasha's camp. And no one would believe Hachi anyway."

"The fault in that logic resides in the reality that **you** believed Hachi," Tsubaki huffed. "How long are you planning to keep this investigation under wraps? Inuyasha can't receive his due punishment if his crimes are kept secret."

"Once the investigation has been completed to the satisfaction of my employer he will decide which avenues to pursue," Miroku didn't doubt every piece of evidence would find its way into the hands of Masashi. Hopefully, the great dog wouldn't turn around and dismiss it all in order to protect his younger son. The former officer truly feared Sesshoumaru would find the fate of several human women weighed against Inuyasha's pending punishment wouldn't mean enough to Masashi even with the backing of fact, an abandoned child and violence against a pack member.

Perhaps, Miroku should make plans on what to do in the event Masashi fails to take the safety of women seriously. Some of the old timers don't view females as equal to males yet. He'd never seen real evidence of Masashi behaving that way, but just because the dog didn't go out of his way to beat up women didn't mean he would act to prevent other males from doing so.

"Which avenues might those be?" Tsubaki demanded skeptically. "This single individual is hardly likely to do better than the enforcement agencies charged with protecting the public. What reason would a private citizen have to see real justice done? Even splashing the reality across the public pages of reputable news distributors won't do much to prevent the fool from continuing to act unrestricted."

Miroku blinked at her reaction and acknowledged the truth in her words. If Masashi didn't reach out and punish Inuyasha appropriately, it would be left to popular opinion. The problem was how easily the masses could be influenced by slant, selective information, and phraseology. While the actions themselves were heinous, there were a lot of people who would dismiss the injuries as a result of foolishly allowing interspecies dating. Victim blaming took on a whole new level when it crossed the line of humanity.

There were far too many willing to write off anyone that didn't stick to their own kind.

"I would identify my employer,"Miroku sighed quietly, "but it is fairly certain that such knowledge would hinder any efforts to question prejudiced elements further in the investigation." He wasn't exactly saying that Tsubaki couldn't keep a secret herself. He was more worried about himself. Miroku knew himself and if he got in the habit of divulging his employer's secret identity, it wouldn't be secret. "I am paid to be discrete."

"Hmph!" Tsubaki's dark eyes narrowed at him. Her frustrated suspicion provoked Miroku to assume a pious expression he usually employed to deflect accusations of perversion when he was a teenager. It was strange to be using it now. "Fine," she huffed. "I will wait and see," the nurse declared in a magnanimous tone that didn't fit the situation.

Miroku didn't have to tell her anything. Tsubaki wasn't even required to know his inquiries weren't for personal information. He could just be a busybody or inquiring for the sake of his own curiosity. But she wouldn't have been as explicit for something like that.

One of the skills that had made him successful in the police force despite conflicts with the politics of higher officers was his ability to assess the personalities of the people Miroku interviewed. Some responded better to a friendly rapport, requiring Miroku help them identify him as a peer of similar views and moral standing. Others were more comfortable dispensing gossip, tasking Miroku with making them feel like they're divulging a juicy, naughty secret that made them feel a small amount of power over those whose confidences they betrayed or passed judgment on. Still others wouldn't open up unless he proved to be completely serious, demanding Miroku seem completely accepting and certain of the truth they dispensed.

It taxed his powers of observation and ability to act as Miroku was seldom able to correct a misapplied strategy. Tsubaki required seriousness, candor, a solid belief that he was mildly afraid of her bad opinion. She was not so difficult to read. Hachi needed the illusion of coercion, even though they both knew Miroku would never hurt the _tanuki_ seriously. His first encounters with each of them had been preceded by interviews with other officers working the cases that first brought him to them.

His next interviews would strike out into new territory without the benefit of forewarning. Tsubaki had prepared him to interview that first victim's family when he discovered their identity. There may be no hints about the personalities of the others.


	12. Chapter 12

See notes in First Chapter.

**XII.**

Kagome slammed back the single shot she'd just watched the bartender pour for her. The hard liquor burned a hot trail down her throat before dissolving into the heat generated by the excitement in the dance club around her. She usually wasn't one for alcohol, but she'd discovered back in school that she couldn't cut loose and dance freely without a little liquid chemistry jamming up her usual reticent habits. It didn't take much to effect the necessary change needed.

Kagome loved to dance. To commune with music of any kind, letting go of self and all the associated worries had been her greatest joy throughout the years. Though it was only in clubs where the music throbbed up through the soles of her feet and the dancers packed so close together as to seem one organism that she needed fortification to participate.

She had less trouble performing a _kagura_ in front of a crowd. In high school she'd enjoyed the dance club that had practiced swing, two-step, line and other semi-choreographed numbers with a single partner without issue. It was only the completely free-form, contemporary dances that caused her anxiety.

Kagome still enjoyed such dancing from time to time, she just needed a little help.

Gently she set the stout glass back on the counter, nodding to the lanky tender behind the bar before turning to the flashing lights and pulsing throng she intended to join. Kagome's eyes were dazzled by the array of colorful clothes, people and lights collected on the barely visible expanse of dance floor. The alcohol slowly spread to loosen up her limbs as Kagome allowed her pulse to find the rhythm pounding into her ears and vibrating up from her feet.

This was not a place where conversation, the service, or even the limited food selection was much of a priority. People came for the music, the vibe, and the drinks. Kagome came for the crowd.

She was nearly ready to brave the floor when she felt the fast approach of a fairly familiar _youki_ that was clearly intent on chasing her.

Kagome turned away from the jumping mass of dancing people to face the door just as the flash of silver announced the approach of the Northern _daijin_. With an inaudible sigh, she caught his eye and nodded toward the quietest section of the club where a collection of standing tables sat in a dark corner before heading there herself.

This had better be an emergency, she huffed to herself. She was getting a little tired of the _youkai_ in her life just randomly showing up without warning and expecting her to be available to wait on them. Sesshoumaru was probably the worst one; he had expected her to drop her duties during _Hatsumode_ to attend him after all. She may not socialize much, but she did have work. And it was only considerate, respectful even to call ahead to make sure there were no conflicting obligations to meeting at certain times or on certain days.

They both reached the darkened table about the same time. Kagome hooked the leg of one of the few stools against the back wall and drew it up to the lonely corner table. Sesshoumaru looked disgusted by both the table and the stools, but Kagome didn't care. He had sought her out randomly, he didn't have to stay.

"So what's the emergency?" she asked loudly over the DJ filled atmosphere. While it was a little quieter this far from the dance floor, it was still quite a din. "Oki and Naoki are in Shippou's care and he hasn't called me. The shrine is being cleaned and looked after by Natsuo's clan, and none of them have called me. My grandfather was in perfect health when I talked to him this morning on the way here and Souta would call me if that had changed," she added flatly. She was pointing out that all of her duties, familial and otherwise were covered by other people while she was away, indicating that any concern dealing with any of those should be addressed to other people.

"This Se-" he began before she sharply cut him off.

"Stop!" She calmly demanded. "I come to Sapporo for anonymity. Here no one knows or cares about Higurashi shrine or Higurashi Kagome. There will be no gossip about the shrine keeper going out dancing, drinking alcohol or meeting friends for karaoke. I come here to reclaim whatever there is left of myself. That will all end if I am suddenly discovered to be keeping company with some public figure or even minor celebrity." And Sesshoumaru wasn't a minor celebrity, he was a major one. His life was a tabloid byline. "Even an anonymous face in the crowd would be plastered everywhere if they were found to be standing close to a person of interest."

Sesshoumaru scowled but nodded. It was a fact of life that he and his family were paparazzi fodder regardless of what they happened to be doing. If Masashi went out for a jog, his photo was front page somewhere in his workout gear. If Inuyasha got caught throwing up in an alley from partying too hard, the blurry censored pic went viral within hours. If Sesshoumaru paused to brush his teeth too close to a window, well...Kagome hadn't really understood why that one was such a big deal, but the public had really eaten up the evidence.

"What do you suggest?" the _inu_ inquired curiously.

"Depends," Kagome responded. "Will this Emergency require you to stay long?"

"Why do you insist this meeting must pertain to an emergency?" the _youkai_ raised an eyebrow at her.

"Do you know what 'vacation' means?" Kagome raised an eyebrow of her own. He'd found her in a club in Sapporo for Pete's sake. If nothing else he should realize she was off duty, as it were. "I only manage to break away from the shrine one to two times a year for this. I put off the last trip because I discovered Oki and Naoki." It had been so long since she'd managed any genuine free time, Natsuo had insisted Kagome take a longer trip this time. "Only an emergency should be brought to my attention before I return home."

If he paid any attention to recent theories and studies on human health as regards work production and relaxation, Sesshoumaru wouldn't give her any trouble about a two day trip to Sapporo ever. Her uncle Mattaki had preferred fishing trips for his getaways, he had also scheduled several trips every year. Kagome refused to let anyone make her feel bad about it.

"It is a precarious situation, but not yet urgent," Sesshoumaru replied mysteriously. "However, you are vulnerable traveling alone."

Kagome carefully studied his expression before accepting she was stuck with him for the rest of her trip. The shrine families had learned, through trial and error, that a _youkai_ that was suddenly feeling protective over someone could not be reasoned, cajoled or even angered out of the sentiment. Instinct was implacable when triggered and it was best to let events play out as they would. Sesshoumaru clearly felt the need to guard her safety, she was never going to talk him out of it. And there was likely no way for her to figure out what caused him to feel the need. Just about anything could pull protective tendencies to the surface.

As such she knew how to advise him on preserving her privacy and concealing the fact they'd ever come in contact outside formal job related lines.

"While my name raises no attention, yours is quite singular," Kagome shrugged as she began. "Do you have any nicknames, a pet name a family member gifted you from affection or a shortened moniker you wouldn't have trouble responding too?" It would be best if he chose an alias he was already familiar with acknowledging. It would also be better if he had a real nickname as Kagome would have to introduce him with something.

"No one has had the effrontery to call this one by anything but the name bestowed by my father," Sesshoumaru declared firmly. He gave her a hard look that told her more than he'd actually said. It is likely there had been other names, pet names, given by presumptuous would-be lovers.

"Then I suggest you pick one for yourself," Kagome replied flatly. "I have plans to meet friends later and I will have to introduce you as something." She glanced over his appearance before starting on the next round of corrections that would help him blend in. Sesshoumaru's inherent coloring wasn't exactly stand out coloring among full-blooded _youkai_ and the flashing lights actually helped to disguise the real color of his hair, at least in here. "I have an extra elastic," she offered him. "You need to put up your hair."

Sesshoumaru drew back slightly affronted. Then his golden eyes swept the interior behind her to find what Kagome already knew. There were very few individuals inside whose hair hung long and loose. Even Kagome had hers up in a messy coiffure that kept the bulk of her locks off her neck and out of her way. It was warm in here, and she was likely to get warmer once she got back to her original purpose. Loose hair also became a headache once packed close to a bunch of other moving bodies.

"Hn," he conceded and pulled the cascade of silver over his shoulder to quickly braid it, accepting the hair tie she handed him for the end.

"Lose the jacket and undo your collar button and cuffs," she directed him next. Sesshoumaru arrived wearing a really nice suit. It was perfect wear in a boardroom or political arena, but was too stiff and formal for a more casual setting. Again his eyes passed around her to check the veracity of her suggestions. There were a few individuals around that had obviously come out directly from work. Nobody was as buttoned up and stiff as he was.

He took even longer to accept what his eyes and ears had told him. Kagome imagined that all his lessons on how to dress had concerned promoting a professional, aristocratic, and possibly intimidating image. It was unlikely anyone had ever encouraged him to learn how to blend in. In fact, she eased back on the stool to think, the only time she'd ever seen him wear anything but a suit had been the shrine robes she'd lent him at new year.

Eventually the jacket came off and was draped over the top of their claimed table. Wrist stripes revealed themselves as he undid the buttons at his wrists and rolled the sleeves up neatly to mid forearm without prompting. Lastly, with tense shoulders, he loosened his collar. Kagome carefully turned to the side to give him a minute to find his center. She wasn't done yet, but she could give him a moment before moving to the last point he'd need to tackle before she could resume her plans for at least this part of the night.

Surprisingly, Sesshoumaru followed her earlier actions and claimed a stool for himself.

Once she was certain he'd managed to recover enough equilibrium to continue she turned back in his direction. "I assume you don't plan to dance," she started carefully.

"That formless movement is not dance and you cannot convince this one that any who have been trained in the traditional _kagura_ would believe any different," he sneered at the crowd.

Kagome smirked quietly to herself. Such dance snobs weren't uncommon. There were quite a few _kagura_ instructors at the shrine school who'd felt that way about any dance that wasn't conducted for ceremonial reasons in a shrine. There were plenty who felt that way about any dance that didn't require counted steps in that club back in high school. It always amused Kagome. "The simple definition of dance is to move in rhythm with music, internal or external. It does not require dress, steps, or ceremony to be dance," she informed him. "And yes, I do consider it dancing. I intend to join in once we have established your cover for hovering in a corner as long as I'm here."

Sesshoumaru settled back from the table slightly, clearly unhappy that she would choose to cavort with the throng for any length of time. "What more is needed?"

"You cannot hog one of the few tables and stools for long here without a reason," she announced. "You will likely need to purchase something and consume some of it." His expression darkened slightly at her words. "I realize you have had bad experiences in the past," she hastened to soothe his wariness. "I suggest you order a sealed bottle of some alcohol of your preference and have it delivered, sealed, with two glasses. Once it has arrived you will pour some for me to sample. I am very human and therefore more susceptible to any toxin that you would be vulnerable to."

"My hands will never touch the bottle after you have opened and poured," she continued evenly. "So long as you manage the bottle yourself, you will have no risk of any ill-effects beyond whatever you incur from consuming alcohol." It was a neat solution. It protected him from unknown sources of trouble while also proving that she hadn't and couldn't drug him herself. "If you sit here slowly nursing some bottle or other, you won't get half so many looks for holding a table."

"It is beginning to look like a lot of trouble to not be noticed," she heard him grumble. His uncharacteristic complaint made her want to laugh.

"Have you never done anything normal?" Kagome asked around her grin. "Never gotten rowdy with friends while everyone slowly grows increasingly intoxicated with alcohol and good company?"

"There are not many trustworthy around this one," Sesshoumaru declared quietly.

"Well, tonight, trustworthiness won't be an issue," Kagome declared stoutly. "I don't intend to take advantage of you. My friend and her boyfriend won't know who you are. If we're careful enough, no one will even think of taking a picture of us at all."

He blinked at her slowly, clearly uncertain what to make of all she was offering. Normal had likely never been in the cards for Sesshoumaru. Even before Masashi united the _youkai_ in Japan, he had been a formidable power in the islands which left his heir a target for every opposing warlord. "Lets start with the booze," Kagome sighed beginning to realize she probably needed a bit more alcohol herself at this point. "What do you like?"

"Wine?" Sesshoumaru offered uncertainly.

Kagome's brow wrinkled in concern, "They're unlikely to have an unopened bottle on hand that they're willing to sell." At least not a good one. Grape wine was more of a quiet setting drink anyway, served with food to offset or enhance flavor notes.

"What would you suggest then?" he huffed in exasperation she was surprised to see. The shrine network had extensive notes on how stoic he was. Kagome hadn't thought she was being that demanding.

"Beer or Sake," she offered. There were non-alcoholic possibilities, but who would nurse a soft drink for a couple hours? It would go flat before long and no one liked flat soft drinks. "Wine just tends to come in larger bottles. Champagne might also be an option, though that would also stand out as normally people order that for a group celebration. Both can get pretty expensive and you don't want to use anything but cash," she pointed out without elaborating further. Cash couldn't be tracked and didn't require using a name that matched the card. Besides which, "Throwing around a lot of cash can catch unwanted attention."

"Hn," Sesshoumaru clearly pondered her words, his golden eyes sweeping the club environs for confirmation or inspiration to turn her down.

"As you clearly refuse to dance," Kagome added, "Booze is the only other occupation that won't draw unwanted attention. The presence of a bottle will reduce the risk of some other patron thinking to buy you a drink as an effort to flirt with you." She glanced back at the dance floor before looking around to wave over a waitress. "You could always wait outside," Kagome reminded him. "It's unlikely I'll be accosted excessively this early in the evening. I'll be leaving before the alcohol has people feeling more handsy."

Kagome knew even before his frustrated and angry growl announced his feelings of that last offer that he wouldn't leave until she did. She was stuck with him for the night it seemed. AS such she ordered him the smallest unopened bottle of _sake_ that was available.

"You sure?" the waitress wondered. "We can warm it up nicely at the bar."

"It has to be completely unopened," Kagome assured the woman. "Bad experiences have left trust in short supply," she added seriously and gestured back to her stoic companion.

"With a face like that, I can believe it," the female nodded in understanding. "Don't you worry babe, we'll fix you up and I'll make sure nobody breeches the seal before you receive it."

"Did you have to tell her that?" Sesshoumaru demanded. Kagome assumed he was upset at the communication of what he probably considered personal information. There were plenty of people who still believed that only women could be raped and assaulted. She wasn't sure if it was because of the belief that rape is only conducted across sexes and therefore no woman could overpower a "real" man or mere denial any male could prefer not to have sex at any time. Both suppositions were problematic, unrealistic, and failed to take into account that rape wasn't about sex or arousal but about power.

Certainly all of the individuals that had attempted to take advantage of Sesshoumaru hadn't cared about him as a person. They'd wanted the prestige of his connection to Masashi or being the first to be known as his lover. They wanted the influence of throwing around his name or the knowledge that they had overpowered Masashi's eldest, thereby proving their own strength and prowess. It probably wasn't even about Sesshoumaru himself.

"Relax," Kagome admonished him. "You are what most would deem attractive. Even without your pedigree, you would likely have trouble with assault and kidnapping. Sex trafficking is a very big threat to _youkai_ and humans alike. Lacking celebrity does not protect the majority of the people who are trapped into it through no real fault of their own."

His eyes narrowed at her words, but he only commented, "Hn."

"The plebs all learn to take precautions," Kagome continued the topic absently. "Most make sure to travel and stay in groups. Or they insure that someone knows where they are and when to expect them home so as to insure the swiftest chance of police response. Everybody has to watch what they drink," Kagome nodded to the waitress as she slowly worked her way back from the bar. "This request probably wasn't that unusual."

"Here you go," their waitress carefully transferred the 1.8L bottle of _shinshu_, and pair of small _sake_ cups from her tray to the table. Sesshoumaru handed over the correct amount of cash allowing the woman to move on to assisting other patrons with their drink orders.

Sesshoumaru sat for a long minute, staring stubbornly at the unopened bottle of alcohol. Clearly he didn't want to do this and was debating this singular solution to his trust issues. Kagome patiently waited for him to make a decision without saying anything. She was trying to provide him cover to avoid harassment and standing out. If he didn't want to drink, she wouldn't make him.

But she wasn't going to sit there waiting on his decision much longer. Kagome had come to dance, but this wasn't her last stop of the evening. She wasn't going to miss out on her chance to dance for the first time in over a year because he was leery of opening a sake bottle.

When the pulsing beat changed tempo slightly, Kagome reached out for the sipping cups and unstacked them. "You have until the DJ changes tempo again before I'm getting up and leaving you to your unopened bottle of _sake_ and unused cups," she told him plainly.

Perhaps it was slightly mean to act this way, but Sesshoumaru was the one butting in on what amounted to her vacation. He didn't have an official reason to be there and she hadn't invited him to join her. Under the circumstances, Kagome thought she was being rather reasonable.

She wasn't forcing him to drink anything. Kagome wasn't pressuring him to dance with her. Sesshoumaru had choices and she'd offered as much assistance as she was willing to give.

Sesshoumaru cracked the seal and poured a fairly generous portion into one of the cups. Kagome reached out and took a sip from the cup. He may have intended to punish her or retaliate against her for pandering to him more by measuring out so much rice wine. She took a second sip from the cup, analyzing her own reaction to the additional alcohol before deciding she'd had enough for now.

He could drink the rest of what was in the cup himself, or leave it sit all by its lonesome, she didn't care. The _sake_ slid smoothly down her throat like a moderately good one should, and the pulsing throng was calling her to join in.

"I'm going to dance now," Kagome announced after setting down her half full cup. "Enjoy the view," she added teasingly. There was no question that Sesshoumaru would watch. He couldn't protect her from anything if he didn't know something was happening.

Kagome drove thoughts of the big silver-haired male from her mind and consciously replaced all other thoughts with the sensations thrumming up from the wooden boards bouncing under the movements of the crowd and the powerful beat drumming out of the speaker system.

Kagome forgot herself and the flashing light. She drifted through the ephemera of heat external and internal, of movements made and felt around her, of breath against her and from her. She hadn't lied when she told Sesshoumaru that it was early for the more hands on dancing that came from stronger liquor flowing into patrons. The only touches that intruded on her dance were accidental bumps of people trying to establish their own little niche on the floor or heading back to the sidelines for air and drinks.

When her limbs were tingling warmly from use and her breath came short from effort, Kagome came back to herself and noted a downturn in tempo that indicated this DJ's set was up. A large portion of the crowd dispersed from the floor opening up the space for a few die hards to start really moving about in their fancy moves.

Kagome realized she was thirsty and headed for the bar to order a bottled water before working her way back to her impromptu chaperon. As she approached the table she realized the stool she'd used earlier had been usurped by one of the other more crowded tables. Sesshoumaru sat glowering at the other patrons, a tight grip wrapped around the neck of the _sake_ bottle added to the overall sense of tension Kagome got from looking at him.

It almost made her giddy nerves want to laugh, a reaction she was certain would offend the dog whose golden eyes narrowed as she neared. Kagome concealed her amusement by cracking open the bottle and swiftly sucking down several ounces of chilled water. Recapping her drink as she lowered it to the table surface, Kagome let out a contented sigh. "Ready to move on?" she asked him needlessly as he'd never wanted to be here in the first place. "It's almost time for me to meet my friends."

Sesshoumaru stood abruptly and almost let go of the _sake_ as he reached for his coat.

"I'd keep that," she nodded meaningfully at the bottle of alcohol. His raised eyebrow demanded explanation. "This night is still young," she added, "If you don't like this it's likely you're gonna hate what's up next."

He narrowed his eyes, as if trying to decipher what she was saying but retained his hold on the _sake_ bottle. "Hn," Sesshoumaru declared suspiciously.

"Relax," Kagome encouraged him as they managed to step out into the chill spring air of night. "I promise nothing we do is likely to leave lasting damage. I do it every time I come to Sapporo after all." Sesshoumaru was certainly more robust than she was, Kagome's _reiki_ not withstanding.

"Will we need transportation?" Sesshoumaru grumpily demanded likely hoping to move her night along at a faster pace.

"Let's walk," Kagome responded, leading the _youkai _towards their next destination. "It'll give me time to cool down." Because, despite her very lightweight clothing and a briskly cool breeze, her body was still burning with the heat of exertion.

"Surely your inappropriate dress will cool you enough," Sesshoumaru criticized her display of skin. Kagome could accept that the very formal _daijin_ might take issue with her club clothes. Her shorts were short enough to be hot pants and the mesh top that overlayed a cotton tank certainly left a lot more skin exposed than her mother would prefer. But she wasn't indecent and it really wasn't any of his business what she wore outside of her role as caretaker of her shrine and his wards.

"These clothes aren't mine and will not be worn anywhere near _Nishi no Mura_," she assured him dismissively, not that he should worry too much what the humans of her town would think. And it wasn't like _youkai_ cared too much about revealed skin anyway. Most wild _youkai_ rarely wore more than their own skin or fur. "Besides, my clothes do not effect my heart rate," she informed him.

"Hn," was the expected comment she received.

"We have other things we need to discuss without a captive audience," Kagome continued as if the single syllable had been little more than a punctuation mark in her previous sentence. "We need to decide your alias. So have you chosen a name for the evening? Something that isn't so very singular and preferably easy for you to recognize and respond to," she reminded him.

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at her and remained obstinately silent.

"So no ideas, huh," Kagome guessed. He probably considered the discussion below his notice, but she flat out refused to introduce him as himself to her friends. Bringing a political figure to her fun night with an old classmate would absolutely derail the whole event. "Well, I suppose we should start with something that has the same first syllable as your name." Such would make it easier for him to remember anyone was talking to him. "I know: Seiichi. First son is common enough and exactly what you are," she was hopeful he'd find the name acceptable.

"Hn," was the pensive response.

"We could stop somewhere to store your jacket," Kagome offered. The garment currently hung from his arm while the other hand kept a firm grasp on his _sake._

"This One is waiting for you to need it," he declared evenly.

"Why would I need it?" Kagome asked bewildered.

"Humans are susceptible to variations in temperature," Sesshoumaru stated firmly. "Your current garments are insufficient for the weather."

Kagome blinked and realized his criticism of her clothes earlier had more to do with the temperature than her skin exposure. She should have realized as much after his last visit with her in January. "I'm fine and our destination isn't that far off."

"But you have also stated that this night is not likely to be over any time soon," he reminded her.

"That is true," she agreed. "But Yuka and I will likely close down the karaoke place before calling it quits." His appalled expression nearly made her giggle. "I did warn you, karaoke is up next." The _inu_'s expression dropped into a deep resignation as if she had doomed him to his execution. "We're not that bad," Kagome protested with an amiable laugh. "At least Jun never complains, and he's _inu_ like you. Rather, he tends to get very drunk and howling before we finish up."

"He howls?" Sesshoumaru asked incredulously.

"He tends to be very enthusiastic before he reaches that point," Kagome explained. "By the time he reaches the howling stage, Yuka usually makes sure to cut off his alcohol."

"These friends are both _youkai_?" he managed to produce enough curiosity to ask after these people was to meet.

"No, Yuka's human," Kagome replied. She wasn't surprised at the question. Usually by now most humans would have divulged an accompanying family name. While many _youkai_ that hid in human society had developed clan names, most non-humans didn't bother with more than one name, relying more on titles and memorizing very detailed lineages instead. It was rare to find a human that legally didn't have a family name they could claim, because of the supposed heritage that came with it. It wasn't unheard of, just extremely rare. "Yuka's father was one of the terrorists that bombed Tokyo years ago." He was imprisoned and later killed for his bigotry and hatred. "Yuka's mom killed herself at the height of the media frenzy surrounding the case," Kagome added. "Her father's parents disowned him and thus refused to raise his spawn. Kids at school gave her a hard time for being related to her father. Strangers on the street abused her for sharing his blood and her maternal grandparents refused to allow her to share their name, afraid to allow such "tainted blood" to stain their family rather than worrying about protecting their granddaughter."

"Hn," Sesshoumaru acknowledged the information, expression empty, but tone filled with concern at the injustice.

"So, when Yuka reached her majority she removed her father's name and decided not to replace it with anything else," Kagome ended her explanation. "One fool we knew around that time actually tried to insult her decision by informing her she would always be mistaken for _youkai_ upon first introductions, on-line and via phone. I informed her that no one could accuse her of being anti-_youkai_ after that and she laughed." Kagome had been rather proud of that moment.

Even though Kagome's own father had been killed in those bombings, she'd never held it against Yuka. If Yuka had held the same ideals as her father they wouldn't have been friends, but she still wouldn't have held the actions of the parent against the daughter.

"Anyway," Kagome hummed to herself. "Jun and Yuka have been dating for a few years now. I don't know what their future holds but they seem to support each other well and she seems happy enough." And they always made time for Kagome when she came to Sapporo.

Stopping her train of thought there, Kagome took a deep breath of the crisp night air. There was no real need to keep telling Sesshoumaru about her friends. He wouldn't care and likely had no reason to change his behavior to suit their personalities. The dog was stand-offish with everyone regardless of situation. Luckily, Kagome was pretty sure Yuka would blow it off as Jun could be a bit suspicious of newcomers too.

She didn't know the whole history of how those two got together, but she understood it hadn't been smooth or easy. "I'll introduce you as Seiichi, Jun will likely challenge you to a drinking contest," as Jun was boisterous, loud, competitive, and a bit like a frat boy when determined to enjoy himself. "Yuka will respond accordingly," she muttered to herself.

"According to what?" Sesshoumaru demanded and Kagome turned to wink at him before cutting across the crowded sidewalk to the door of the karaoke establishment. She popped her empty bottle of water into the correct receptacle on the way in and headed for the reception desk. A glance at the clock behind the attendant told her they were five minutes late, so she asked after her friends.


	13. Chapter 13

See notes in First Chapter.

\+ Well, here it is, the last chapter I had already written when I started. It may will be a long while before this story moves forward. This last 10 months have been stressful, employment has been terribly uncertain. I thought I had solved the problem on three separate occasions only to find what should have been a long term position ended up being temporary on three separate occasions until we reach now where I have been Unemployed for just over two full months. So while I have a LOT of time on my hands, I'm too stressed out to write.

**XIII.**

Sesshoumaru stifled the groan that threatened to escape his throat as he became aware of the pain throbbing behind his closed eyes. Experience with chemical induced unconsciousness had taught him that light and sound would only exacerbate his current headache. Instead he lifted one achy arm to rub his fingers at the flesh beside his eyes. Opting to curl away from the glow of some unknown light source, Sesshoumaru struggled to assess his current state.

The fact that he'd been able to move under his free will was a bit novel. Most often, he woke up restrained when he felt like this. Sesshoumaru didn't quite know what to make of it.

His discomfort wasn't even that bad, as far as chemical hangovers went. Sesshoumaru had certainly woken up with worse pain on more than one occasion. Though, this was the first time he was fairly certain he'd done this to himself. Normally, this sort of thing was induced by some external force covertly attempting to entrap him for one reason or another.

It was a common misconception that _youkai_ weren't effected by hangovers because of their inherent healing factor. Sesshoumaru could solidly attest, this was complete balderdash. Any chemical that unbalanced the natural levels of sodium and overwhelmed a body's natural filtration system would always negatively effect that body. The cure was universal: time, rejuvenating sleep, sips of water and food to help stabilize digestive agents. Dehydration didn't cure itself without consuming fluids to replace what was missing. Repairs couldn't be made without resources. It was a simple equation with a simple, universal solution. It just took more time and greater quantities of various intoxicants to have the same effect on _youkai_. And usually less time to recover provided measures were taken to overcome the fall out.

It wasn't unlike comparing the water retention abilities of conifers and cacti or dolphins vs camels. Some creatures were better at maintaining internal balances in the face of chemical intoxicants than others, but none were completely immune to the effects.

Sesshoumaru tried to sift past the pain to find what else his senses could communicate to him. His mouth was dry and tasted fuzzy. His skin chaffed against various materials indicating he was both clothed and draped with some bedclothes of some kind. His ears picked up no sounds beyond his own that weren't muffled by walls, so he was presently alone. The glow of light he refused to crack his eyes open to study was all coming from one direction, so he assumed there was a window.

He resolved to crack open his eyes the slightest amount. Even with his back to the light, the brightness hurt his eyes. His nose twitched with the unpleasant sour smell that proved he'd been sick at some point but someone who smelled slightly familiar and strangely trusted had kindly cleaned it up. Sesshoumaru's eyes finally adjusted enough to pick up details of the wall in front of him.

There was a door with the back of a card lock and unstrung dead bolt on it, indicating he was in some kind of hotel. Just as he registered the door's location, someone began to pound on the outside of it. The knock was sharp and far quieter than his headache would lead him to believe; whoever was knocking knew Sesshoumaru would be sensitive to sound and was trying to be considerate about it.

"Are you awake in there?" called out a muffled voice. "I only booked you for four hours and you've got thirty minutes left." Sesshoumaru blinked hoping his brain could supply him with more information. "I didn't think you'd need that long to recover," the female voice continued, "Not with as much as you ejected before I left."

Here was one mystery solved. He knew who had kindly cleaned up after his illness and then given him privacy without violating his person. It could only be Higurashi Kagome.

"I've got bottled water and some bread," she continued, communicating that the cure for his headache was just behind that door. "Don't worry, whatever you and I don't consume will find its way to Yuka and Jun." Once again Higurashi was trying to accommodate his issues with trust. He remembered enough of the night before to know she wouldn't risk the health of her friends.

Sesshoumaru began to piece together more of the events that lead him here as he finally wrested his body out of the bed. The sheets and blankets entrapped him momentarily, nearly knocking him to the floor. The abrupt effort to move stirred up nausea in his stomach and only made his head throb more acutely.

Sesshoumaru found it difficult to force himself vertical. The beat in his head seemed to increase tempo the farther it was from the ground. Still, the _inu_ refused to allow his hangover to prevent him from moving on with his day. Hunched over and squinting, he finally made it to the softly vibrating door as Higurashi knocked on it once again.

It occurred to Sesshoumaru that if Higurashi Kagome was outside his locked door, then Sesshoumaru wasn't protecting her. Instinct had kept him from leaving her alone at the club and required him to stay close even after she was in the care of her friends. Now, because of his own fallibility, she had been left unprotected for several hours. The realization didn't help his headache any and only increased his sudden desire to sigh. He held the uncharacteristic gesture in as Sesshoumaru wasn't sure what effect such a movement would have on his current state.

The nondescript white door opened the narrowest amount required to latch onto Kagome's arm and draw her inside the room against the wall. He closed the door again in the same movement before carefully giving the woman a once over to see if his lapse had allowed an injury to occur. Taking her appearance in helped him realize that he wasn't wearing the suit jacket he'd worn and carried around most of the night because it was on her.

"It's only been about three and a half hours," Kagome huffed at him as he made her turn around for good measure. The movement caused her to drop the heavy convenience store bags laden with the products she'd brought. "I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself." Certainly better than an inebriated male that made himself sick Sesshoumaru silently admitted to himself. "I've been doing so for many years and so far only Inuyasha has left any permanently debilitating injuries and he certainly can't be found in Sapporo."

Which was true enough. All of the other injuries Kagome had sustained in the line of her duties were certainly minor and temporary. The _shimarisu_ had left thin lines inside her arms that healed quickly without a scar. The brat of a mayor's daughter had left a more lasting wound and that had also healed. The burns she received tending the shrine lanterns were insignificant and hardly much of an irritant. Given that Higurashi had grown up in Tokyo it was arguable that she was better able to care for herself in an urban setting than the small town she served.

As she'd indicated, Inuyasha was the only real threat to her physical and psychological health at this point in her life. But instinct wasn't rational, so he would still insist on protection until she returned to her usual environment.

At least, Sesshoumaru hoped he'd be able to leave her to protect herself upon return to _Nishi no Mura_. Instinct could be tricky. Necessity might drive him to kidnap the _Jinja no Sewanin_ to see to his duties and he had no doubt Higurashi would protest quite loudly. She had her duties too.

His inspection completed to his satisfaction, Sesshoumaru hunched back to settle semi-upright on the bed. If he curled any more into himself, the big _inu_ would likely fall into a fetal position on the floor. It was only stubborn refusal to succumb to his own weakness that kept him from it.

Kagome slid to the floor near the door to rearrange the stuff she'd brought in with her. There were a collection of plastic bottles being stood upright in a group that had no straight lines. "Most of these are water, but I've got two bottles of fruit milk for Yuka and I," she told him as she set two smaller bottles aside. "We'll each drink more than that, but it's our thing," she added, and he understood. As much as she was willing to accommodate his trust difficulties, she wasn't going to give up something special between her and her friend.

Sesshoumaru was a new addition to her life where Yuka had been there for years. There was no replacement for genuine history; _youkai_ certainly understood long term connection. There was honor in respecting the older bond and Sesshoumaru was actually reassured by this behavior. The more he observed her the better he thought of Higurashi.

Her bottles all standing upright, she moved onto the bag of breads and rolls. "Pick a water, any water," she teased while her attention was set on sorting the individually wrapped buns. Her pointed withdrawal from the bottles was clearly designed to avoid pressuring him to pick a specific offering. Kagome needn't have bothered as Sesshoumaru found he had no qualms with any of her offerings.

Higurashi had no designs on making a name for herself or climbing a social ladder. She didn't flirt with him and had proven unwilling to exploit every opportunity presented to take advantage of him. It was quite...unusual for him to meet someone like her.

Still, Sesshoumaru wasn't sure if he wanted **her** to know of his trust yet. Knowledge of such a thing could change the dynamic of their interactions and he somewhat selfishly wanted to enjoy things the way they currently stood. The things she already knew he trusted her with were necessities. Sesshoumaru obviously couldn't personally care for every neglected or abandoned young _youkai_ in his territories and generally didn't try. He had homes for the young of species that benefited from close social interactions and necessary proximity to human settlements. The shy segments of his society, the ones that hid in his forests were typically left on their own unless they threatened the fragile peace by appearing or being left in particularly sensitive areas. Like the _shimarisu_ Kagome had taken in for him.

"I've got a couple chocolate croissants," the woman continued to ramble on. Her voice, despite his headache, actually soothed him. Usually unnecessary babbling was an irritant, but the stream of her words was proof that she remained healthy, intact, and comfortable with him. "So you're going to want to avoid them. Yuka and I always eat one apiece, but never more than that. There's also curry bread in here as Jun always insists on eating some after drinking. He says the spice cleans out his sinuses."

Sesshoumaru blinked at the thought. Jun_,_ like the _daijin, _was sensitive to spice and thus would be more likely to avoid it. Then again, some daredevil types would eat spice as a way of proving their ability to withstand intolerable experiences. The spices certainly would clean out the fool's sinuses; they would burn clear. As he preferred to avoid abusing himself in that way, Sesshoumaru appreciated the warning.

"Yeah, Yuka and I think he's crazy," Kagome added when she glanced back to check on him and caught his reaction. Her plastic sealed bread offerings were all neatly arranged for him to make a selection. Each piece clearly labeled by their bakers to show their flavors. She settled back on her heels apparently done arranging her bag of bread.

Sesshoumaru reached out to select one of the six identical half liter bottles of water.

"I have to admit, his sinuses do run badly when he eats it, so the spice can be said to clean his sinuses out," she shrugged watching him twist the cap off his claimed bottle. Squinting back at her, he handed her the bottle to take a sip. She handed the bottle back without commenting.

Sesshoumaru's habits and caution were a direct result of experience. Kagome may not know what the bulk of those experiences were, but she didn't question him about it. It was one of the things about Higurashi that the Northern _daijin_ appreciated. She didn't need to know the details to accept and accommodate his needs.

"If you wanted privacy to tell me whatever it was you tracked me down for," Kagome began earnestly. "Now would be the time."

Amber eyes blinked at her and considered the situation. Discretion would be preferred on this topic. Anonymity tempted him to forego this moment of pounding temples for a later one that would not be as private but would allow a clearer head. Most people wouldn't care about a discussion on the street or in a park that didn't involve someone they knew or recognized. But he wouldn't trust it. Seiichi might cover up his identity in the pulsing strobes of a dance club or the dim lighting of a Karaoke booth, but the light of day would highlight Sesshoumaru's very distinctive features.

Sesshoumaru took a large sip of water before considering how best to introduce the topic. Like Miroku, Sesshoumaru didn't believe the _hanyou_ would take serious interest in a female that birthed offspring from a different male. _Inu_ were strange that way.

"This Sesshoumaru may shortly inherit the care of a relative's offspring," he declared bluntly and paused to let it sink in. Kagome was intelligent and would likely quickly deduce that there were only two probable sources for the pup. All of his Mother's relatives had been alienated when Sesshoumaru's mother was removed from his father's house as soon as Sesshoumaru was fully weaned. His father's family had been pared down to the three core members and few far flung distant blood relations by the effort to determine the head of the family and establish a single united _youkai_ government.

"I hadn't heard that Inuyasha and Kikyou had bred yet," Kagome observed after a tight swallow. "Nor had I heard that either were being incarcerated, terminally ill, or otherwise incapacitated."

Sesshoumaru gave a tiny smirk as Higurashi once again proved him right. "Kikyou has never given birth," he confirmed for her and silently congratulated her logic. If his father had bred again, regardless of the scandal, Masashi would take responsibility for any pup he sired. The public acceptance of Inuyasha proved that. "Their relationship, while intimate, lacks solid commitment," meaning Inuyasha refused to give up his other sexual activities.

"I didn't think she had," Kagome shrugged. "Even if she tried to hide it, there would have been speculation over pictures or a prolonged absence." Sesshoumaru nodded to encourage her to continue, "And Masashi would have claimed it if Inuyasha failed to accept responsibility."

"Indeed," he agreed. "My agent is investigating the possibility of more victims of Inuyasha's violence. Our first inquiries uncovered the chance of a pup left unclaimed."

"Unclaimed?" Kagome gaped in confusion.

"The mother did not recover from her assault so well as you did," Sesshoumaru informed her. "She could no longer care for the pup. Her family did not visit or mind the costs of her care. My agent found that her hospital bills were paid for by a private party with no blood ties_. _ Inuyasha obviously failed to claim or acknowledge the pup." As once again, regardless of scandal, Masashi would have claimed care of the pup if he'd known it existed.

"It is entirely possible the mother was disowned by her family when she gave birth to a partial _youkai_ child," Kagome murmured. "That is if she wasn't disowned just for dating Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru silently agreed to her assessment, there were still "purist" factions throwing their opinions violently about. Families were sundered by opinions on inter-species mixing everyday.

"Given that the mother's family had no care for her, it is questionable as to the dispensation of custody for the pup. If the pup is in the loving bosom of some other family this Sesshoumaru is more than willing to leave alone and periodically check up," which was a difficult concession. _Inu_ liked to keep family close. But they also did what was best for the pup. "If not..."

"You can't intend to take a traumatized child into the public eye," Kagome protested. "If the poor kid has been lost in the system, a complete lack of privacy and constant criticism by the paparazzi will be crippling," because there was very little reason to believe an _inu_ pup without pack protections or bonds wouldn't be traumatized to some extent.

"This Sesshoumaru intends to settle the pup into a very private, healing environment as far away from the public eye as can be managed in conjunction with this one," he cut her off. Once again satisfied by her near instant grasp of the situation. The pounding of his head intensified briefly before slowly dissipating as he forced himself to relax, "While this Sesshoumaru has several homes for orphans and foundlings, it is unlikely such an environment would be healthy for a potentially traumatized pup to grow happy and healthy." Especially for any child with _inu_ heritage.

Kagome's gaze was steady and intense. She always took the care of others seriously. She would have made a great doctor, trauma surgeon or not. He studied her reaction subtly before continuing with his plans. "My agent is attempting to locate the pup around the legal privacy regulations. We do not have names at present, but we will soon," he outlined the steps the future would hold. "After we track down the pup, it will be removed in the quickest least traumatizing method possible before being placed in your care."

Higurashi's eyes widened comically before she seemed to explode. "You can't possibly think setting up a partial _youkai_ child in _Nishi no Mura_ is a good idea! Even if the poor thing is incredibly lucky and doesn't appear to be anything more than human, having close ties to me will set us both up for criticism and ridicule by the townspeople!" she picked up a random piece of her arranged bread and threw it at his head. He caught the puffy package and narrowed his eyes at her laughable threat. "And there will be no hiding from them. There's only one school in the area and I haven't time or even the ability to do both my duties and teach a child that young!"

"This Sesshoumaru realizes the solution isn't ideal, but every child that requires socialization will be at risk of harsh judgments at the hands of their peers and community at some point," lack of understanding could make words harsh. There was no escaping the world on some scale. Even in the wilds, other _youkai_ were harsh with those they didn't know. "Better to experience the overt and limited range of that small community than the whole world."

Kagome stopped short and leaned away from him in consideration.

"This Sesshoumaru cannot take the pup into his care in Tokyo without a media frenzy that will analyze and inspect every part of the pup. Speculation will be rampant and cruel as to the origins of the pup. The emotional and mental damage of that is far greater than anything _Nishi no Mura_ can deal out. And this Sesshoumaru's name will offer more protection of a ward than of blood-kin." He certainly had enough wards of his state to make it a semi-normal state of affairs. Sesshoumaru even checked up on them on a semi-regular basis personally and through agents.

"I don't know if I can separate the bad behavior of the parent from his issue." Kagome trailed off and he understood her reservations. If the pup looked too much like its sire, Higurashi would experience fresh trauma and face the possibility of transference to the pup from Inuyasha.

"That you are already concerned about your own reactions indicates that you won't punish the pup for the actions of the parent," he declared to soothe her. Sesshoumaru was absolutely certain Kagome wouldn't punish anyone that didn't personally harm her. She saw too clearly, her shrine training was too ingrained. It helped that her trauma was so old and Kagome had time to deal with it, separating Inuyasha's deplorable behavior from his species, gender, and even relatives. She hadn't held Sesshoumaru responsible for his half-brother's lack of restraint.

"I still think placing a mixed-blood child in N_ishi no Mura_ is a mistake," Kagome rallied. "You talk of speculation in the media, that town will invent a horrible source without more clues than appearance and proximity to me. And there's the risk that the child will inherit your family's heightened senses putting the secret identities of every _youkai_ in town at risk. I know _youkai_ children are intelligent, but they don't start out that way. Navigating the complexities of subterfuge is difficult for even full grown adults."

Sesshoumaru carefully shook his head, testing the resilience of his headache. "Then we will assess the pup's comprehension of such topics when the issue arises. You will be supported in your care of the pup. If we require private education, this Sesshoumaru will find a way to supply it." He was adamant that placing his young kin in Higurashi's care was the best plan. "How are our two young wards taking to their new teacher?"

Kagome huffed at the change in subject. "Oki adores Shippou, she's lit up with all the things he's teaching her. She sucks it up like a sponge, but then, she's always been eager to show herself capable of helping. I think learning from Shippou has helped to build up her confidence," her tone was affectionate.

"And the male?" Sesshoumaru prompted.

"Naoki refuses to learn anything," she answered flatly. "He sees the introduction of a tutor and lessons in wilderness survival as a lead in to being left alone again."

"He doesn't want to leave you," Sesshoumaru observed as he sipped more water.

"He'll have to get over it," Kagome sighed. An electronic beeping suddenly sounded from her person and Higurashi began sweeping all the packaged bread back into the bag. "That's our five minute warning. If we don't check out on time, you'll have to pay for two more hours in the room. One as penalty for not checking out as scheduled and the second for the hour over."

Sesshoumaru nodded carefully and stood swallowing down nearly a third of the bottle of water in his hand in attempt to finish it off.

"You might want to do something with your hair," Kagome hinted, motioning at the mirror stationed over the bureau standing against the wall. She moved on to repacking the beverages.

Sesshoumaru's hair was rough from the night's adventures followed by sleep. Silver strands stuck out at odd angles from the plait he'd woven at the club. He was almost astonished Higurashi hadn't reacted more to his appearance upon being pulled through the door. He never allowed anyone to see him so undone.

That she hadn't commented until just before exposure to the public was strange to him. His family and tutors would have caustically dressed him down for appearing so before them even in his own private rooms. Even his previous would-be captors would criticize any strand out of place while he was drugged and tied up.

"It's a bit windy outside so keeping it braided might be the best way to go," Kagome added as he strove to quickly tame his mane. "Besides which, Seiichi would be easier to maintain the less you look like yourself."

"A change in hairstyle isn't likely to hide me long in the light of day," he disagreed. Besides, pulling his hair back made him look more like his father. Somehow he believed such likeness would make him less anonymous. But he did agree that wind was something to consider when deciding how to dress for the day. His clothing was wrinkled and slightly stained with sake, but there was no other option unless he was willing to run home for a clothing change. The chances of reaching his apartment without being seen in such a state was slim and he didn't want to leave Higurashi on her own again.

"Two minutes," Kagome warned as she opened the door and headed into the hallway. Sesshoumaru finished what little grooming he could accomplish before following after her. He wasn't altogether certain who had covered the first four hours' stay in this establishment, but he was pretty certain he didn't have the cash on hand to cover another two more.


	14. Chapter 14

\+ See Notes in First Chapter.

I'm alive and I have not given up on this story. Life continues to run away with all of us. But All things come to an end...eventually. Hopefully, that time is coming.

**XIV.**

"Good Morning," Yuka greeted Kagome as she entered her friend's apartment. "I see Seichi-_san_ is still with you."

Kagome didn't bother to glance at her tall _Inu_ shadow. She was well aware Sesshoumaru hadn't disappeared anywhere in the short trip from the hourly hotel. Partly her certainty had to do with the fact she was still wearing his suit jacket – at his insistence. Mostly, she knew it was because "I tripped an instinct," she shrugged at her old friend. "I brought breakfast," she announced needlessly while lifting the bread bag dangling from her arm. The heavier bag of bottles had been confiscated before they'd left Sesshoumaru's room.

Kagome carefully toed off her shoes before entering Yuka's apartment, by-passing the slippers left out to leave them for Sesshoumaru to use.

Jun was quickly in view leaning miserably over the low table centered in the standard sized _tatami_ room. Clearly his evening hadn't quite let go of him yet.

Yuka smiled brightly as she lead both guests to that same table. "You're in good time for it," she settled on her side of the table across from Kagome and beside her boyfriend. "I have to be to work in another hour and a half." Both women kept up a stream of banal conversation for the benefit of Jun and Sesshoumaru.

Kagome and Yuka had learned to settle in comfortable silence years ago and often could communicate easily without speaking a word. Unfortunately their easy companionship was not easily communicated to others at the same time. Early in Jun and Yuka's relationship, they'd discovered that Jun thought a prolonged silence between the two human women was a sign of discord and anger. It was a personal quirk that resulted from his previous experiences. But it was a perception occasionally shared by others. The two females had adjusted their behavior to help prevent this misapprehension.

Kagome didn't need to be told that Yuka had work today. Her friend was wearing her work uniform. Yuka hadn't yet arranged her hair or donned her makeup, something Kagome knew indicated there was plenty of time before there was a need to leave.

Yuka didn't need to be told that Kagome brought breakfast. She always did. Just like Yuka didn't need to be informed that, "I bought you some strawberry milk," because Kagome always remembered her preference.

"I still don't know how you can stand that banana milk," was also an unneeded statement. "I do love your visits Kagome_-chan,"_ Yuka continued, "But I really just look forward to the fruit milk and chocolate croissants."

And Kagome knew what she meant. Fruit milk was considered something childish. Kids would drink it ritualistically after visiting public baths or after some other group bonding thing. Adults preferred alcohol to bond with their cohorts. New friends didn't have the comfort of having grown up together. There was a side that couldn't be shown to someone who only knew you as an adult.

"Would you two please stop talking?" Jun begged with a groan and Yuka smirked at Kagome. Kagome settled against the table across from Jun and began settling the bag of food on top.

She rummaged through the contents to pull out the two chocolate croissants and handed Yuka hers before reaching over to pull Sesshoumaru down to the side of the table across from Yuka. He was holding up breakfast with his grip on the bag of bottles. Once she got his claws to release the handle she pulled out the fruit milk for them.

She and Yuka clunked the bottles together and then opened croissants before digging in. All the while Kagome and Yuka continued to hold a silent conversation.

Kagome glanced at Yuka and swept her eyes at Jun before looking back at her girl friend. Yuka shrugged her shoulders and shook her head.

Apparently, Jun's binge last night hadn't helped him with the reason he'd gotten drunk. But Yuka wasn't sure if the hangover was all that was plaguing him this morning. Kagome shook her head to concur with Yuka's assessment. Jun was the type of person to find physical pain a way to offset emotional upset. They were both grateful the groaning _youkai _had never taken to anything more self-destructive than drinking too much when he got that way.

Jun didn't usually drink that much and Yuka would cut him off at the howling stage. But Yuka's boyfriend had suffered a disappointment at work that left him a multitude of negative feelings to work through and he'd gotten started early. Crying and growling into his alcohol before Kagome and Sesshoumaru had even put in an appearance. Jun's depression had been more effective in goading his fellow _Inu_ to drink with him than competition, bullying or teasing would have.

Proof that the Northern _Daijin_ wasn't as aloof and untouchable as previously thought. It had actually surprised Kagome somewhat. The shrines had no information on Sesshoumaru taking time to commiserate with anyone before. Masashi did rather publicly on occasion, but there was always the undertone of politics involved. Sesshoumaru didn't play those games.

Last night with Jun had no political ramifications. There was no PR play with it. Somehow, it made Sesshoumaru's seem far more genuine.

"Hn," was the quiet observation Sesshoumaru made of his fellow before fishing out a bottle of water and quietly nudging Jun's aching head with it on the table. The silent gesture roused the miserable male enough to look up and accept the offering before considering what was being handed to him.

Jun's hangover must have been worse than Sesshoumaru's because the male actually paled a little at the thought of sipping water. Still, he cracked the seal and took a tentative sip of the contents before resuming his defensive drape over the table in effort to avoid the thin light escaping through the blinds into the apartment and the other occupants around him.

Kagome and Yuka watched Sesshoumaru consider Jun's plight before gold eyes sought out the _Reiki_ user. A swift redirection of his gaze to the water bottle communicated what he wanted Kagome to do.

_Reiki_ healers could spark a temporary increase in _youki_ activity and jolt any healing factor into a brief frenzy. It would also cause some unpleasant side effects.

Depending on how the _Reiki_ was administered, there were the contact burns which could turn out to be worse than the injury or malady the treatment was to correct. The boosted healing rate wouldn't effect the burned area by virtue of what caused the burn, wherever it was. A minuscule amount of _Reiki_ could do a lot of damage if it was delivered internally via a food or drink. If the Reikidosage was too large, the healer would have to go back in to remove the latent _Reiki_ to stop the burning and hope the extraction process didn't create more damage.

Kagome's control was, as Sesshoumaru had observed before, acute. But even the finest control couldn't counteract an allergy, which was entirely possible with a _youkai_. Nearly all _youkai _had a negative reaction to exposure to her energy. How extensive the reaction was depended on the individual. The time to test reactions was not on someone already feeling poorly.

Besides the reaction to _Reiki_, the patient would also be negatively effected by the increased consumption of their body's resources. Recovering from a speed healing was worse than the hangover Jun was currently suffering from. Or so Kagome had been told. It seemed a waste of energy to do that to Jun without his knowledge, consent, or need. Jun didn't need to be anywhere today. With his last project finished up, he had a couple days of downtime.

Asking her to interfere in a situation where the treatment was something as simple as time, hydration, rest, and good food was unnecessary. But Kagome could sort of understand Sesshoumaru's concern. The side effects weren't common knowledge because most _youkai_ wouldn't even consider seeking _Reiki _healers out for anything that wasn't an energy derived injury. Kagome could remove another's _Reiki_ left over from an attack or accident. She could restore _youki_ energy lines after a severe injury had created blockages. She could even heal damaged tissue by blocking a patient's opposing energy from the area she worked on as long as she carefully removed all evidence of her own energy before she finished up and worked fast. Every individual needed that personal energy to run through the whole of their body for optimal health, disruptions needed to be temporary whether human or _youkai_.

Kagome pointedly gazed away from Sesshoumaru's quiet communication. She definitely wasn't going to subject Jun to an unnecessary healing and she didn't want to get into an argument defending her lack of action. It would be a pointless activity that would only aggravate Jun's symptoms and irritate everybody else.

Yuka tapped her forefinger against the table once to catch Kagome's attention. Once she was certain of Kagome's regard, Yuka tilted her head toward the _inu youkai_ beside Kagome and raised her eyebrows. The question wasn't hard to figure out and Kagome didn't need to look to the side to wonder what had caught Yuka's curiosity.

Kagome's response was to nod at Jun and discretely lift one finger alit with her energy like a glow worm. Yuka shook her head and finished off her fruit milk before sliding around the corner of the table to approach her hungover flatmate. Just as she was reaching to smooth his hair back from where it had fallen over his down turned face, Jun gave a pained groan and lifted his head from the table top.

"I'm sorry for telling you not to talk," his eyes pleaded with Yuka. "Don't be angry," was whined out as he ducked again.

Yuka smiled and brushed his hair back affectionately, "We're not upset. You have a headache. Kagome and I only really talk to make you feel better," she smirked over at Kagome before leaning into Jun and pressing a kiss to his temple. "Though you should probably drink some more water and eat something before Seichi-_san_ starts to argue with Kagome-_chan_ about speeding up your recovery."

Jun winced before glancing over at Sesshoumaru. "I am never doing that again," he stated forcefully before whining at the increased throb the expression caused him.

Kagome wryly smiled at the wall to avoid throwing it at Sesshoumaru. "Then eat something, there's only the one curry bread on the table. Should be easy enough to avoid it," Yuka told her boyfriend before planting another kiss to his forehead and pushed to her feet. "Kagome-_chan_ and I need to pick out her clothes for the day."

"She needs to borrow more clothes?" Jun asked in surprise. Kagome didn't blame him. He was drunk when she and Yuka were discussing her plans for this trip. Most trips, Kagome would be heading directly from here to catch the morning train after their ritual morning after breakfast. She would don her own clothes, get on the train and nap her way back to _Nishi no Mura_.Not this trip. Natsuo had threatened to tie Kagome up and leave her in the woods if she came back early. That was no way to spend a night.

"Kagome's return home will be delayed a day," Yuka reminded him as both she and Kagome rose from the table and headed into the bedroom. "Have you thought about what you're going to do today?" she asked after they had closed the door behind them.

"I was originally going to seek out one of the shrines _Jii_-_chan_ kept in contact with, see if one of them would let me nap for a few hours on the grounds," Kagome started. "That was before Seichi made an appearance."

"You could still do that," Yuka pointed out.

"Not with a _youkai_ in tow," Kagome argued. "Keep in mind these are shrine families I've never met. Asking for a safe place to nap as someone they've only heard of is one thing. Expecting them to tolerate a _youkai_ they're unfamiliar with while I do is something else entirely." Not to mention the reality that Sesshoumaru would be easily identified. Dress him up and call him by an alias as much as she wanted, a shrine family in the territory he governed wouldn't be fooled.

"I suppose," Yuka sighed as she started shifting around the clothes she seldom wore. Yuka's maternal grandparents finally realized their cruelty when Yuka legally dropped her family name. They'd been trying to make up ever since by sending her gifts of clothing. Unfortunately, their taste in clothing for her and what Yuka would willingly wear didn't exactly match.

She usually only kept the clothes on hand long enough for Kagome to make use of them, either to claim them to take home or just to wear around Sapporo during a visit. "I suppose I can find a quiet park to sack out in for a few hours," Kagome huffed as her hands were filled with a vibrant yellow sun dress. "Safety shouldn't be an issue with a big guard hovering near by."

Yuka laughed as she fished out a burnt orange colored sweater to go with the light weight dress. "That's true," she shook the garment, hoping to dislodge a few wrinkles. "Tripping an instinct in _Inu _like that might have him keeping even the birds away from your slumber. I remember the first morning after Jun and I moved in together," her expression was sly and amused. "Jun nearly killed that alarm clock that you gave me back in school, the one that went off with the weather report."

Kagome laughed. The soft tones of the alarm clock weren't really that startling. Yuka didn't need the assistance waking, but she had a bad habit of dressing without checking the weather. After showing up to class in summer clothes during an unexpected cold snap, and drenched after a downpour Kagome had searched out a solution to her friend's unfortunate problem. "Did you manage to save it?" She asked with a smile "or should I start looking for a replacement?"

Yuka grinned back, "The alarm still lives." She held Sesshoumaru's coat for Kagome as she started stripping out of her club clothes of the night before. "You really do look good in that outfit."

"Yeah," Kagome shrugged as the tank fell to the floor. "But there's no reason to take them with me. I have no place to go out in _Nishi no Mura_ even if I felt secure enough to do so. And storing them at my place would only add ammunition to the community belief of my promiscuity." Though Kagome had always thought type of clothing seldom correlated with any kind of behavior unless it was an activity specific item like ballet shoes or sports equipment. "It still surprises me how inconsistent your grandparents are with clothing," she commented as she pulled the sundress over her head. The shorts would have been too small on Yuka, what was almost hot pants on Kagome would have been booty shorts on Yuka. The sundress was almost too long by comparison, the hem falling nearly to Kagome's ankles putting it about mid-calf on Yuka. And the bust was looser on Kagome than she would have preferred. Yuka wasn't that much bigger than Kagome so it was probably still too big on her too.

"They haven't seen me in years," Yuka shrugged. "And they never bought fitted clothing for me before anyway. They preferred to buy my clothes big, I would wear them longer that way. Those shorts were a surprise though."

"That's a sound practice when you're still growing," Kagome replied carefully. "Children grow so fast and they were on a limited income at their age, but you haven't been an age for growing in a long time. And your height wouldn't have changed much from when you lived with them."

"True," Yuka conceded. "My real issue are the color choices." Kagome glanced to the shorts discarded on the floor and completely understood.

Yuka's preferred wardrobe palate was a mix of royal and jewel colors. Deep reds and purples, blues and the occasional emerald filled her closet. Her separates were conservative pieces that could mix and match and her pants were all serviceable dark colors. Her grandparents leaned more toward pastels and every shade and hue of pink ever made into clothing. The shorts were a hot, neon pink Yuka wouldn't be caught dead in. Clearly the two parties hadn't met in person since Yuka had been buying her own clothing.

Kagome had no problems with any color of clothing. Her neighbors at the shrine had their own ideas though. It had been quite the scandal last summer when Kagome made the mistake of going into town wearing a pastel pink tank top. Apparently the color wasn't respectable enough for a "middle-aged" shrine keeper. As such, Kagome went a little wild in Sapporo, wearing colors Yuka wouldn't.

"What are you going to do after napping?" Yuka returned to the original subject. "You can't plan to spend the whole day asleep in the park."

"I'm not sure," Kagome shrugged the light weight dress into place over her head before reaching for the cropped sweater Yuka had supplied. The dress would be far too chilly without it and Kagome had no intention of wearing Sesshoumaru's suit jacket all day. "I thought I might squeeze in some sight-seeing or check out a few museums since I rarely have this much time in town, but I'll have to see what my shadow wants to do." Because Kagome wasn't going anywhere without him.

"I can't imagine he'll have much of an opinion beyond keeping you safe," Yuka shrugged. "Jun wouldn't offer an opinion on our outings until we'd been going out six months."

"_Inu_ are notorious for that," Kagome mumbled to herself. As a species, the females made most of the decisions in a relationship and males went along for security and to keep other males away. Some would even take it to extremes by insisting they actually enjoyed everything their female suggested for activities rather than just going along with it, forgetting their actual preferences from before partnering up. It was hard to consider a relationship healthy or equal when one half perpetually refused to express a truthful opinion. "Luckily, we're not in much of a relationship beyond the professional." Which was true. Kagome was a shrine keeper who worked with _youkai _to keep the peace. While taking in orphans for the _Daijin_ was new, she still considered it a facet of her position in the shrine network.

Kagome didn't believe tripping Sesshoumaru's instinct had anything to do with an emotional response on his part. It likely had more to do with honor, obligation, and the future supervision of his kin. Not that he'd bothered to explain his reasons. Kagome had learned to take things at face value when it came to personal relationships.

"If you're sure," Yuka was a romantic. Clearly, she believed the white _Inu_ had more personal reasons for following Kagome around. Kagome conceded that it was a reasonable assumption from the outside. The only male they'd introduced to each other in recent years that wasn't already a blood relative was Jun, Yuka's boyfriend.

Still, just because no other males had joined them before didn't mean that was what was happening now. Kagome didn't bother to protest. No matter what she said, Yuka would take it as evidence to support her own conclusion. Kagome was just glad she'd managed to finally convince Yuka to leave off attempts at matchmaking.

Kagome didn't have the head space to accept any romantic overtures anymore. Every recent attempt to woo her had either been a desire to take advantage of rumor based promiscuity without any need for emotional entanglement or a _kitsune_ plot to cause mischief around town failing to take into account the effect such a relationship would have on Kagome. The first were always couched in insulting terms and typically ended with verbal abuse when she refused. The second never seemed to end as every denial was met with only brief break before reapplication. Her _kitsune_ would-be lover was tenacious in the extreme.

Kagome consciously shook herself away from that problem. She'd given up the possibility of a healthy romantic life of her own. If Yuka believed Sesshoumaru was interested in her that way, the woman wouldn't be hinting at meeting "people" so much any more, whether Kagome was supposed to meet them on her own or at Yuka's direction.

"I could come back here and cook something for you guys later," Kagome offered, mostly to change the subject. "If you provide the kitchen and the food, I'll cook."

"That would be wonderful," Yuka gushed. "I haven't had any of your cooking in a while and after work I usually don't want to cook much of anything." Unsaid was the reality that Jun's version of cooking was far too heavy on instant convenience store options. "It gives Jun a few hours to feel better before going shopping."

Kagome smiled at her friend. Jun loved homemade food, he just didn't know how to make any. She and Yuka used to have dinner dates where they cooked for each other and whoever happened to be around. Kagome missed that dynamic in their friendship and before Naoki and Oki joined her, she'd had little reason to cook much beyond the basics in a couple years. Given how much time passed between visits to Sapporo, there hadn't been much opportunity to cook for anyone else since her great uncle had passed away.

"What does Seichi like to eat?" Yuka asked. "Jun will eat almost anything and I love everything you cook."

"Not everything," Kagome protested with a laugh. "You remember those experiments in high school?" Some of those would-be dishes had been fairly inedible.

"We were still learning," Yuka scoffed. "Your grandfather had absolutely no reason to accuse us both of trying to poison the masses at the festival that year."

Kagome laughed remembering the event. Kagome and Yuka had only been partially responsible for that fiasco. It was their resident cooking queen that wrote the recipe down wrong for them to copy. They just hadn't known enough to recognize the error until everything was done and being sold in their class cafe. "He called it kitchen warfare and insisted we were trying to perpetuate an act of terror out of a classroom." And he'd only been slightly joking at the time. Souta had teased Kagome about it every time she cooked dinner after that.

Her mother had not understood the joke. Higurashi Akemi had not seen much humor in a lot of things as Kagome was growing up.

"No wonder Eri never trusted us with her food," Yuka giggled to continue their fun.

"Eri had a lot more issues than just us following directions without thought," Kagome shrugged with a grin. "I always hoped her food allergies would ease up as she got older." Some of Eri's allergies were the type many kids grew out of, "but it never happened."

"I could never get over the list of things she was allergic to," Yuka shook her head. "It seemed to get longer with every passing year."

It had gotten longer, but it had more to do with Eri being exposed to more as time went on. They'd nearly lost her a few times from unknown allergies popping up. If Kagome hadn't been so skilled with her _Reiki_ on more than one occasion, their dear friend wouldn't have made it out of freshman year. But Yuka didn't know that, and she never liked to share the tale. "What is she doing now?" Kagome asked instead.

After moving to Hokkaido, she's lost touch with a lot of their mutual friends. Some had though Kagome abruptly moving like that was over reaction. Others hadn't been able to keep up with a long distance connection that never had a chance of ever closing the distance in the near future. She carefully didn't wonder if Yuka would have fallen to the wayside if she hadn't also been on the same island as Kagome.

Better to focus on the reality that is than suspect the friends that were still around.

"I heard from Ayumi that Eri became a chef," Yuka grinned. "She's the star of an esoteric eatery that specializes in alternative diet food."

"That's," Kagome paused, searching for a word that was both amused and fitting before settling lamely for "appropriate." Because Eri had been somewhat obsessed about food.

"It was actually a really good move for her," Yuka continued "since she met her husband there. Apparently his list of food allergies is almost as long as hers. And he was way more helpless about managing them than Eri is."

"How wonderful!" Kagome laughed with delight. She always loved to hear her friends were doing well. She wasn't even hurt that she hadn't heard of the wedding until now. "Any kiddos in the offing?"

"I don't think so," Yuka shrugged as she stuffed an all-weather blanket in a tote bag. "Ayumi said Eri was still insisting that she would never pass her predilection for food allergies on to the next generation."

"Most allergies aren't hereditary," Kagome pointed out quietly. But she understood Eri's fears. There were a lot of things that could have killed her friend before she was old enough to figure out a diet that worked for her and her parents hadn't been much help. They'd mainly found one or two things that Eri wasn't allergic to and fed her nothing else most of her childhood. Monotony in a diet wasn't really healthy or appetizing, but it kept Eri alive. "Still, she isn't required to have children. Parenthood isn't for everyone."

"As long as her spouse is onboard with that," Yuka shrugged. There wasn't much reason to further ponder the breeding habits of distant friends. "We got off on a tangent. What should be have for dinner? What would Seichi eat?"

"Seichi is about as trusting with his food as Eri was in high school," Kagome answered. "Whatever Jun picks up or wants cooked will be fine without consulting Seichi's appetite."

"Here," Yuka handed the tote stuffed with blanket and sunscreen off. "I'll just tell Jun to pick up enough to feed four and if Seichi chooses not to eat, we'll have left overs."

Kagome nodded as she slid the tote strap over her shoulder. She probably wasn't the most fashionable person on the street today, but at least her clothes were clean and wouldn't be violating an decency laws. "Sounds like a plan."

"Does Seichi need to borrow clothes too?" Yuka asked as they re-entered the living room.

"Hn, no," Sesshoumaru answered the question firmly.

Kagome left it at that. She had no doubt the fastidious _inu_ had found some way to change out his wardrobe without breaking their cover.

Somehow, he'd managed to get Jun to suck down a full bottle of water and eat at least one bread roll. Hopefully Yuka's miserable boyfriend would start feeling better soon.

The Northern _Daijin _eyed her outfit up and down before issuing an approving "Hn." Kagome idly supposed she was sufficiently covered for the weather. Sesshoumaru rose to his feet and put on his suit jacket in preparation to leave.

"We'll be back around six to start cooking dinner," Kagome declared as she pushed her feet into her shoes. They weren't really a good style for a dress, but they were better than borrowing shoes off Eri. And they were as perfect for walking around all day as they had been for dancing the night before. Practical ruled more of Kagome's life than formerly, but fashion rarely accounted for bone health or climate.

Kagome nearly tipped forward while adjusting the fit of her second shoe. She was tired and her attention was wondering, a sure sign she needed some sleep.

"Sounds good," Yuka responded to the question Kagome hadn't asked. Neither one had discussed exactly when Yuka would be out of work. Her shifts were long and occasionally ran late. But starting any later would leave the rest of them starving.

"Have a good day," Kagome wished to her friend.

"Barring any emergencies, I will," Yuka smiled and closed the door after Sesshoumaru.

"Shall we find a park?" Kagome asked her taciturn companion.

"Hn," he replied stoically.

"Yeah, I thought so too," she commented on an opinion he hadn't really expressed. But there was a lot that single syllable could have meant, just as there was many applications her words could have as well. A conversation of vagueness could be had by anyone where neither really cared if they were talking about the same thing.

She really needed some sleep.


End file.
